FILE: Nepal's newly elected PM Balendra Shah to be sworn in on Friday

Record ID: 2368888

  • Title: FILE: Nepal's newly elected PM Balendra Shah to be sworn in on Friday
  • Date: 27th February 2026
  • Summary: JANAKPUR, NEPAL (FILE - JANUARY 19, 2026) (REUTERS) (MUTE) AERIAL VIEW OF PEOPLE GATHERED AT ELECTION RALLY VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CHEERING AND CHANTING "BALEN" AT ELECTION RALLY SUPPORTERS WAVING FLAGS SUPPORTERS TAKING PHOTOS WITH PORTRAITS OF SHAH PEOPLE WALKING PAST PORTRAIT OF SHAH KATHMANDU, NEPAL (MARCH 5, 2026) (REUTERS) SHAH WALKING INTO POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF SHAH
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  • Keywords: balen balendra shah election kathmandu nepal prime minister swearing in
  • Location: VARIOUS, NEPAL
  • City: VARIOUS, NEPAL
  • Country: Nepal
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001870426022026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Nepal's rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah will be sworn in as the country's new Prime Minister on Friday (March 27), an official from the President’s Office told local media. 
    Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), a three-year-old political group, achieved a landslide victory in the March 5 general election, positioning the former Kathmandu mayor to lead Nepal with a mandate to tackle political instability. The election was the first since mass protests against corruption led by Gen Z demonstrators last September, which left 77 people dead and resulted in the government's collapse.
    Shah, born to a father practicing Ayurvedic medicine and a homemaker mother, developed a passion for poetry in his early years, which evolved into a career in rap music influenced by American artists such as Tupac Shakur and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, an aide said. Rising as one of Nepal's most popular rap artists with a substantial social media following, he joined RSP in December 2025, shortly before launching his bid for the prime ministerial office.
    (Production: Mark Ho)
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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