After demonstrations forced Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign from office, all eyes are now on Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, with online campaigns encouraging him to take the lead as the next prime minister.
The week-long protests, with Gen Z at the forefront, intensified after the government banned 26 platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X. The unrest turned deadly on Monday when police crackdowns killed at least 19 people and injured hundreds nationwide. In Kathmandu alone, 18 protesters were killed, many of them students in school and college uniforms.
Amid the upheaval, rapper-turned-politician Mr Shah voiced solidarity with demonstrators. In a Facebook post, the Kathmandu mayor said that while he could not attend due to the age cap set by organisers, who defined Gen Z as under 28, he believed it was necessary to hear their voices.
Read | Nepal PM KP Oli Resigns Amid Deadly Gen Z Protests, Chaos On Streets
"The rally is clearly a spontaneous movement of Gen-Z, for whom even I may seem old," Mr Shah wrote. "I want to understand their aspirations, objectives and thinking. Political parties, leaders, activists, lawmakers and campaigners should not be oversmart to use this rally for their own interests."
He added that although he would not physically attend, his "full support" lay with the youth.
Balendra Shah For Nepal Prime Minister?
Late Monday, after the government rolled back the social media ban, outrage spread to online platforms and Balen Shah quickly became a trending figure.
A user on X wrote, "Balen Dai, take the lead."
Balen Dai, take the lead. ????????️ pic.twitter.com/O9RFNYMhS4
— Nepal's Rhino Army ???? ???????? (@NepalsRhinoArmy) September 8, 2025
Another wrote, "The difference between Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal is that we have a potential prime minister among us who will work only for the good of the country without personal interest. Balen for PM lessgoo."
The difference between Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal is we have a potential prime minister among us who will work only for the good of country without personal interest. Balen for PM
— ???? (@tweet_youshall) September 9, 2025
Lesssgooooo
Another wrote, "Dear Balen, Take LEAD now or Never. Nepal is behind you. Go ahead."
Dear Balen,
— Prawin Singh Yaadav ???????? (@prawin_yaadav) September 8, 2025
Take LEAD now or Never. Nepal is behind you. Go ahead. ????#kpoliisterriorist pic.twitter.com/BvJ4kbsGdV
A comment read, "We can't stop here, 19 lives, including students in their college dress, are too heavy a price to pay. This movement needs a leader like Balen to take it forward until we reach the outcome. Nepal's future cannot be silenced."
We can't stop here, 19 lives including students in their college dress are too heavy a price to pay. This movement needs a leader like Balen to take it forward until we reach the outcome. Nepal's future cannot be silenced. #GenZProtest #KPOliResign #SocialMediaBan@ShahBalen pic.twitter.com/MwuCvILVAm
— rakesh_karki (@rockbye5) September 8, 2025
Who Is Balendra Shah?
Balendra Shah, known as Balen, is the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Born in 1990 in Kathmandu, he studied civil engineering in Nepal and later completed a master's degree in structural engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University in India.
Before entering politics, Mr Shah was active in Nepal's underground hip-hop scene as a rapper and lyricist, often raising issues such as corruption and inequality through his music.
In 2022, he contested the Kathmandu mayoral election as an independent candidate and won with more than 61,000 votes, defeating contenders from established political parties.
He is married to Sabina Kafle and remains active on social media, where he regularly communicates with the public about civic and political issues.
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