From streets to polls, Nepal's internal divisions playing out ahead of elections
Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah announced that he is running in the upcoming general elections, challenging former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, who was forced out of office by Gen Z protests. Others are disappointed by what the caretaker government has achieved so far. New internal divisions are emerging in established parties, which are now seeking to revitalise themselves to garner support from young voters.
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – Last week, Balendra Shah, mayor of Kathmandu, resigned to prepare himself for the general elections scheduled for 5 March.
A former rapper who spoke out against corruption and inequality in Nepal before entering politics, the 35-year-old announced yesterday that he will challenge former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, who was ousted last September following anti-government demonstrations led by Generation Z protesters, people born after 1995.
For many young people, the 73-year-old Oli, who served four terms as prime minister, represents a traditionalist and corrupt political establishment.
“Contesting against a major figure... signals that I am not taking the easy way out,” Shah said before the official confirmation of his candidacy. "It demonstrates that, despite the problems or betrayals that have affected the country, we are moving toward addressing them", he added.
Rather than running from his base in Kathmandu, Shah will challenge Oli in his stronghold of Jhapa-5, a predominantly rural district located 300 km southeast of Kathmandu.
“This should not be perceived as an egoistic decision," Shah explained. "The ripple effect would simply be greater if I contest from Jhapa."
After youth protests brought to power a caretaker government led by Sushila Karki, a former Chief Justice known for her uncompromising stance on corruption and nepotism, many young people expressed disappointment with the poor results achieved so far.
“I am regretting my decision to take part in the protest because they have been zero achievement from the new government we brought which has failed us,” said Mukesh Awasti, who lost a leg in clashes with police, quoted by The Associated Press.
“There should be [the] end to corruption which has not happened and the people who opened fire on the demonstrations should have been arrested but that that has also not happened either,” he added.
In late December and early January, some people took to the streets again to demand bolder reforms against establishment politicians in the current technocratic government.
Some groups of young radicals called for the direct election of the prime minister, a new constitution, and the imprisonment of all politicians from the previous government, a sign that protesters are not united.
According to Human Rights Watch, Nepal's security forces responded with excessive and disproportionate violence against protesters, shooting "multiple times over three hours," killing 17 people.
The final toll was 76 dead and some 2,300 wounded after two days of protests on 8 and 9 September 2025.
Balendra Shah was first elected in 2022 after launching a series of social media campaigns against tax evasion, traffic congestion, and urban waste management.
In December, Shah joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), a centrist party that has challenged the established parties in recent years, rising to become the fourth-largest political group in the Nepali parliament.
Shah has said he supports “a liberal economic system with social justice” measures, such as free education and healthcare for the poor.
The September protests were sparked by a widespread government blockade of social media.
Criticisms of the government and the so-called nepo babies, children or relatives of politicians who appear on social media to be living a luxurious life, were circulating on various platforms, but the reasons for the protests run much deeper.
According to World Bank estimates, 82 per cent of Nepal's workforce is employed in the informal sector, while per capita gross domestic product is stuck at US ,447, according to 2024 data.
The economy has come under further pressure recently when the US administration under President Donald Trump stopped issuing visas for Nepali citizens as well as several developing countries in Africa and Asia.
While Shah is attempting to boost his electoral base outside the progressive and liberal context of the capital, one of the country's historic parties, the Nepali Congress, which was part of the governing coalition alongside the Communist Party led by Oli, has recently suffered an internal split.
On 15 January, a faction elected Gagan Thapa as its president against Sher Bahadur Deuba, former prime minister and party leader since 2016.
It seems some politicians have realised that to remain in parliament, they must reform their parties by responding to the demands of Generation Z. Thapa, 49, is another figure close to the youth demands that led to the fall of the previous government.
After the protests, 25 new parties were formed, and more than 900,000 people registered as new voters.
.png)
16/02/2018 17:27
12/09/2025 15:35
