Nepal’s rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah held an unassailable lead against ousted prime minister KP Sharma Oli Saturday in the highly contested face-off in the southeastern district of Jhapa, according to data from the Election Commission. Shah led with more than 55,500 votes, with Oli trailing on 15,409. But trends showed that Shah’s RSP was also leading in 90 of the remaining 117 constituencies in the direct elections. On Friday, Shah’s party loyalists danced on the streets of Kathmandu in celebration, even though final results could take days. Shah has also taken a commanding lead in the seat he is contesting -- a head-to-head contest against 74-year-old ousted prime minister Oli, symbolizing the clash between the old guard and a youth-driven call for change.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 07, 2026 10:00 UTC