Kathmandu (Nepal): In a landmark shift for Himalayan politics, 35-year-old Balendra Shah, popularly known as “Balen,” was appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal on Friday, March 27, 2026. President Ramchandra Paudel issued the formal appointment notice under Article 76 (1) of the Constitution, confirming Balen as the first Prime Minister from the Madhes region and the youngest elected leader to hold the nation’s top executive post. The rapper-turned-politician led the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to a landslide victory, securing 182 out of 275 seats in the House of Representatives and effectively decimating the country’s traditional political establishment following last year’s “Gen Z” protests for generational change.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 12:34 PM today at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas. Reflecting Balen’s commitment to cultural synthesis, the event will feature a unique blend of Hindu and Buddhist rituals, including the blowing of conchs by seven Brahmins, Vedic hymns recited by 108 young Hindu Batuks, and the chanting of Buddhist scriptures by 107 Lamas. Sources close to the Prime Minister-elect indicate that he plans to hit the ground running with a streamlined cabinet of 15 to 18 ministers, focusing on his campaign promises of transparency and a corruption-free regime.
Balen’s rise to power follows a stunning electoral performance where he unseated four-time Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli in the long-standing Communist stronghold of Jhapa-5. The RSP’s majority marks the first time a “fresher” party has taken control of the government since the transition to a federal republic. As the newly elected members of the House took their oaths on Thursday, the focus now shifts to Balen’s immediate policy priorities, which are expected to prioritize urban development, digital governance, and economic reforms to stabilize the nation’s fragile economy.
