Balen Shah set to become Nepal’s first prime minister from Madhesh region bordering India

New Delhi: Rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah is set to become Nepal's first prime minister from the Madhesh region, which borders India.

Shah's entry into the electoral fray from Madhesh has reshaped the political landscape of the region. Of the 32 first-past-the-post seats in Madhesh, Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party won 30, while Nepali Congress secured just one.

In the 2022 elections, RSP polled about 75,000 votes and failed to win a seat in the province. Within four years, however, the party captured 95% of the seats in Madhesh.


During his first campaign speech in Janakpur, Shah assured the Madheshi people of his commitment to constitution. Shah spoke in Maithili during the rally. In Nepal's political history, it is rare for a PM hopeful to begin a campaign speech in the language, which is the country's second-most spoken.