Nepal polls: What Balen Shah-led RSP’s win could mean for India

Balendra Shah or Balen

• Balendra Shah's RSP leads early counts in Nepal elections
• Shah seen as youth icon, may become Nepal's youngest PM
• Shah's stance signals shift in Nepal-India relations

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Balendra Shah, the former mayor of Kathmandu, rapper-turned-politician, and engineer, has emerged as a major force in Nepal’s politics.

His Rastriya Swatantrata Party (RSP) is leading in early counts across many constituencies, positioning the 35-year-old as the frontrunner to become the next Prime Minister.

Counting of votes is currently underway in Nepal, which saw its first general elections on Thursday since deadly GenZ protests forced the resignation of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and led to the dissolution of Parliament.

The race also includes long-standing players like Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) and Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s CPN (Maoist Centre), parties critics say symbolise an ageing political establishment losing public support.

What Balen Shah’s win could mean for India?

Balendra “Balen” Shah, 35, has positioned himself as the youngest political leader in contention for Nepal’s prime ministerial race.

A former rapper turned politician, he gained prominence after becoming Kathmandu’s first independent mayor. Shah, who earned his masters degree from Karnataka’s Visvesvaraya Technological University, has emerged as a youth icon in Nepali politics.

However, some of his earlier remarks about India have drawn criticism. In 2023, he called for a ban on Indian movies in Nepal after alleging that a Bollywood film described the Hindu goddess Sita as “India’s daughter,” a claim he contested by pointing to traditions placing her birthplace in present-day Nepal or near the Nepal–Bihar border.

The same year, he drew controversy by displaying a “Greater Nepal” map in his office -- including certain Indian territories -- which he described as a symbolic reply to India’s “Akhand Bharat” mural in its new Parliament building.

Speaking on the issue, he told Dainik Bhaskar, “I never said anything for which I should apologise. India called its parliamentary map a cultural one, so we put up a historical map of Greater Nepal. No one should object.”

In 2025, he was once again under scanner after put out a post that included swear words against India, United States and China. Later, he deleted the post after it drew flak.

However, last month, he removed the China-linked Damak Industrial Park project from his election manifesto. The project, located in former premier Oli’s stronghold of Jhapa-5, is considered a key component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The move is seen as a reassurance to India, particularly regarding the security of the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor.

Moreover, the RSP manifesto stresses the need for balanced foreign relations. As a relatively young and pragmatic leader -- who studied in India’s Karnataka -- Shah is expected to prioritise economic cooperation, infrastructure development and anti-corruption reforms that could strengthen bilateral ties.

While he has rejected certain BRI-linked initiatives and criticised the Nepali political elite’s closeness to Beijing, his lack of governing experience could lead to unpredictable foreign policy decisions.

Overall, a Shah-led government could signal a disruptive, youth-driven shift away from Nepal’s traditional political establishment.