The contenders: This combo of three photographs present from left, Khadga Prasad Oli, president of Communist Occasion of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), Gagan Thapa, president of Nepali congress and former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, of the Rastriya Swatantra Occasion. File
| Photograph Credit score: AP
A former rapper who ran Kathmandu as a mayor. The younger chief of Nepal’s oldest political social gathering. And a communist veteran politician hoping to return to energy after being ousted in youth-led protests by which dozens have been killed final 12 months.
They’re the three main contenders as Nepal heads into a vital nationwide election, the primary for the reason that protests led to the autumn of former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli’s authorities in September.
Whoever prevails will change into Nepal’s sixteenth Prime Minister in lower than 20 years, underscoring the recurring political instability that has marked the Himalayan nation for the reason that monarchy was abolished in 2008.
The protests in Nepal final 12 months revealed the extent of younger folks’s frustration with corruption and a scarcity of alternative within the nation, the place round a fifth of younger persons are unemployed, however the place the youngsters of the political elite appear to take pleasure in luxurious existence and quite a few benefits.
After public outrage led to the resignation of the federal government, hundreds of thousands of Nepalese voters at the moment are gearing as much as elect members of the Home of Representatives, the highly effective decrease chamber of parliament. The subsequent prime minister will likely be chosen after securing a majority in the home.
Balendra Shah, a front-runner
Balendra Shah, broadly often called Balen, is seen as front-runner after rising as a well-liked determine throughout the marketing campaign. He was elected mayor of the capital, Kathmandu, in 2022 and later left the put up to change into the Nationwide Impartial Occasion’s candidate for prime minister.
The 35-year-old Mr. Shah educated as a structural engineer and later gained modest fame as a rap artist, utilizing his music to tackle social points and politics.
Wearing his signature black apparel and sun shades, Mr. Shah has been touring the nation. Supporters typically line as much as greet him and present assist for him and his social gathering.
Mr. Shah gained the Kathmandu mayor’s race as an unbiased, using a wave of public anger towards conventional political events. He drew reward for clearing unlawful distributors, tackling town’s power rubbish drawback and pushing street expansions, but in addition confronted criticism for ordering the demolition of houses and properties with out sufficient planning or discover.
“Our agenda is that the poor individuals who haven’t any cash of their pockets ought to get a full schooling. The poor folks with empty pockets ought to get entry to the well being amenities. That’s our agenda,” he advised his supporters in western Nepal final week.
Gagan Thapa, a well-liked face inside the Nepali Congress
One other contender is Gagan Thapa, the newly put in chief of the Nepali Congress, the nation’s oldest main political social gathering, a liberal democratic social gathering with shut ties to India.
Lengthy seen as a well-liked face inside the Nepali Congress, Mr. Thapa, 49, had been held again by the social gathering’s senior management till earlier this 12 months, when he mounted a insurrection and secured his election as social gathering chief.
The Nepali Congress has remained a well-liked social gathering, however was a part of the final coalition authorities that was pressured out by a youth revolt in September.
The youth-led protests have been triggered by a social media ban earlier than snowballing into a well-liked revolt in opposition to the federal government. Dozens have been killed and tons of injured when protesters attacked authorities buildings and police opened fireplace on them.
Mr. Thapa says his first precedence could be to rid Nepal of corruption inside 5 years and make the federal government totally accountable to the general public.
Khadga Prasad Oli nonetheless instructions assist
The opposite contender for the put up is Khadga Prasad Oli, the controversial however robust communist chief who led the coalition authorities that was pressured out of energy final 12 months. He’s blamed by many for the deaths within the violent protests that ousted him.
Regardless of criticism of his dealing with final 12 months’s protests, Mr. Oli nonetheless instructions assist inside the Communist Occasion and amongst lots of its supporters.
Mr. Oli has persistently argued that regular insurance policies and politics are important for Nepal, warning that the economic system wants stability to develop.
Nepal is positioned between Asian giants India and China, and each nations have proven eager curiosity in having affect of their smaller neighbour. Thapa’s social gathering is historically nearer to India whereas Oli’s communist teams are seen as extra pleasant to China.
Revealed – February 27, 2026 12:25 pm IST