Nepal’s gen-Z election: can popular former rapper Balen topple a veteran political heavyweight? | Nepal

An unprecedented political showdown is taking place in the humble, dusty streets of Nepal’s Damak city. It’s a battle that pits a former politician against a rapper-turned-politician with a penchant for dark sunglasses and smart suits, a fight that could completely reshape the country’s politics.

As Nepal enters its most contentious elections in recent years, 35-year-old Balendra Shah, known simply as Balen, is at the forefront. He rose to fame as a popular rapper whose songs criticized the ruling elite, then turned to politics and won a landslide victory to become mayor of Kathmandu in May 2022.

But after Nepal witnessed its bloodiest day of protests in recent history — last September, when the Gen Z uprising against corruption and a nationwide social media ban were met with police brutality and live fire — Balen emerged as a nationally popular and unifying figure, especially among Nepali youth who were deeply angered by a political system they viewed as corrupt and unrepresentative.

The protests and subsequent violence left more than 70 dead and quickly brought down the communist government of veteran prime minister KP Oli Sharma, long dogged by allegations of corruption, nepotism and elitism. Balen was the choice of Generation Z leaders to step in as interim leader, but he refused and preferred to wait and fight at the ballot box.

“As mayor, Balen showed that he could transform the administration,” he said Parbat Basnet, a 24-year-old business graduate and one of the leaders of the Generation Z uprising in Damak, also came under police fire.

“He could have accepted an unelected position of power after the protests but instead chose the democratic path. He wants to defeat corrupt leaders through the ballot box, thus changing the mindsets of both leaders and voters.”

For many in Nepal, especially the 46% of the population under 24, this week’s polls are a key test of whether the frustrations and demands fueling the Gen Z uprising can be channeled into sustainable political change or whether the old guard will reclaim their thrones.

Basnet emphasized that the effects of the uprising in the elections were not felt only among young people. Nepal’s cumbersome electoral system has entrenched an endless cycle of weak coalition governments and widespread electoral fatigue; The country has had 31 prime ministers in 35 years, many of whom have returned again and again.

“But the energy in this election is different,” Basnat said. “Even older voters are finally starting to ask leaders questions: Where is the gas pipeline you promised? Where is the railroad? Where is the development you talked about?”

“Earlier, leaders were treated like gods. Now people are demanding accountability.”

Nowhere is this more felt than in Jhapa-5 constituency and its hub city of Damak. For years, the region has been a stronghold of four-time prime minister Oli and his Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), known as UML.

After Oli announced that he would run again despite being unceremoniously ousted six months ago, Balen resigned as mayor of Kathamndu and announced that he would be a direct candidate for Oli’s seat and run for prime minister.

Since then, Balen’s status has risen to very high levels, and the “Balen effect” has become contagious on Jhapa-5. During a promotional tour in Damak, large crowds gathered on the roads, on balconies, on rooftops and on trucks, and a wave of people tried to touch Balen as he emerged from the skylight of his campaign truck, wearing his signature black suit and sunglasses. Women who could not reach him to take a selfie burst into tears.

Sarita Baral, 23, was among those who took an award-winning rally selfie. He said he had little political involvement before the Gen Z protests, but all of that has changed. He wanted to fight for a country where most young people no longer had to go to exploitative jobs abroad, such as in the Gulf, to find work.

“Youth in Nepal are very supportive of Balen because we want change, we want job opportunities and we want corruption to end,” Baral said.

“Balen is different from other politicians, he does not make big promises and looks brave. He could have contested from any constituency but he chose Jhapa-5 to fight KP Oli. This makes us feel that he is a brave leader.”

The difference with Oli’s campaign was stark. The campaign convoy was largely ignored as it passed through Damak. In rare comments to the Guardian from his home in the city, Oli was largely unrepentant about the violence that emerged in Gen Z protests against his government.

“Young people were misled, taken to the streets and then their movements were hijacked by criminals,” Oli said. “This was a conspiracy to overthrow my government. Yes, it was a sad situation, I was very sorry that people died. But their conspiracy was bigger than our preparation, they wanted to burn the country.”

Oli was not seen in public for weeks after his resignation but denied running away or hiding. “This is bad propaganda,” he said, adding there was “no doubt” he could win.

Oli’s UML retains strong loyalty, especially in the more rural areas of Jhapa-5, which he won six times. Concerns have also been raised about Balen’s campaigning style, as well as his history of erratic social media posts and impulsive tendencies. Some fear this could have geopolitical ramifications for the small landlocked country between China and India.

Balen has largely avoided interviews in mainstream media in favor of social media posts where he has millions of followers, and his team did not respond to the Guardian’s requests. On the campaign trail, his campaign style is unconventional and his interactions with voters are largely brief, leading to accusations that he is avoiding any tough questions. Balen’s speeches, which rarely addressed the crowd, did not last more than three minutes.

His silence seemed to anger some in Jhapa. When he appeared in Gaurigunj, a small town about 20 miles from Damak, he smiled at the crowd and then continued on his way. “He walks from place to place but never speaks,” said Buddhimaya Kerung, 47. “Will it be harder to hear if he wins?”

Just a few months ago, just before midnight, Balen had posted on Facebook, “Fuck America, Fuck India, Fuck China” and other Nepali political parties. He deleted his post, but his lack of transparency about his foreign policy strategy and how he plans to manage the delicate struggle between Nepal’s Indian and Chinese interests remains a concern for some voters.

Kumar Khatiwada, 62, who said he would vote for Oli, said: “Balen cannot be reached easily, you cannot ask him questions anywhere. He waves to the crowd, stands on the stage and that’s it.”

Gen Z figures who support Balen also acknowledged that, despite all the hype, it remains untested on the national stage.

“Yes, expectations are high, but I don’t blindly follow him because he is a celebrity or a rapper,” Basnet said. “If he succeeds, I will support him. If he fails, I will question him. We must never stop questioning our leaders.”