The ET GenAI Hackathon 2026 has announced the results of its Idea Submission phase, with the shortlist finalised after evaluating entries from more than 54,000 builders across India. Shortlisted teams now advance to the Prototype Development Phase
The fast-expanding war between the United States, Israel, and Iran has captured global attention largely because it is disrupting oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf. Yet another resource is now emerging as far more critical to the survival of the region’s societies. Water
Indian technology stocks have seen an unprecedented rout over the past few weeks over fears of artificial intelligence upending the traditional outsourcing model that powers the country's $300bn (£223bn) back-office industry. The sell-off - part of a global correction in traditional software and
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Monday managed an easy victory in the biennial polls to five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, with its candidates including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP national president Nitin Nabin
Star Brazilian forward Neymar didn’t receive a call-up to the national team squad for the upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia, although striker Endrick found a spot. With this snub, Neymar’s hopes of playing at the upcoming FIFA World Cup have received a massive blow
Rapper to be next Nepal PM? Gen-Z favourite Balen Shah heads to win general poll
Rapper to be next Nepal PM? Gen-Z favourite Balen Shah's RSP heads to win general elections | 5 points
Rapper to be next Nepal PM? Gen-Z favourite Balen Shah's RSP heads to win general elections | 5 points
The results of these elections, if the large wins of the RSP continue, would mark a victory for the youth movement.
Published on: Mar 07, 2026 12:55 PM IST By Priyanjali Narayan Share via Copy link It might take a few days for Nepal to declare a clear winner in its national elections but raper-turned-politician Balen Shah has emerged as the man of the moment. The former Kathmandu mayor is now likely to be the next Prime Minister of Nepal. Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician and the prime ministerial candidate for Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), interacts with locals ahead of Nepal’s general election. (REUTERS) The large lead and several wins of his new party founded in 2022 is also telling of the youth's frustration with Nepal's status quoist and elitist politics spearheaded by its old guards such as the former PM KP Sharma Oli. This was also seen in the Gen Z protests, also called by some a "revolution", which had although started with a social media ban but turned into large scale protests showing disillusionment of the youth with poverty, unemployment and frustrations with the life of its elite. Follow here for live updates Shah and his politics, including his mayoral campaign and his rap music became symbols of a new politics for the youth. If the RSP’s strong performance continues, the results could mark a major victory for Nepal’s youth-driven political movement.Here are top 5 points of the Nepal elections 2026:
1. Man of the moment - Balen Shah
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has emerged as a dominant force, winning 29 seats and leading in 88 constituencies, as of 12 pm on Saturday — signalling a decisive shift away from Nepal’s long-standing political status quo. Shah is also maintaining a lead over CPN-UML chairman and former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in his home constituency of Jhapa-5. Oli had resigned as prime minister following the Gen Z protests in September 2025. RSP was also leading Nepal’s proportional representation vote with 35,091 votes - about 57.2 per cent of the 61,399 ballots counted till 12 pm.2. A possible break from the old political guard
The election pits entrenched mainstream parties against a relatively new force that many believe could become the frontrunner. It may decide whether long-dominant leaders remain politically relevant or a younger leadership takes charge. “This is heading to a landslide victory - this reflects the frustration that has been building up,” political analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta told AFP. “It is actually the people’s revolt against the established political parties,” he added. Not many had predicted the scale of the political change. “This is even a bigger upset than we expected — it underscores the level of public disenchantment with the old parties for under-performance, as well as anger over the events of September,” Kunda Dixit, publisher of Nepali Times told AFP news agency.3. Gen Z protests laid the groundwork
While Shah and his party, along with several other young politicians, were poised to take centre stage in Nepal’s politics, it was the Gen Z movement that ultimately propelled youth politics forward. What began as demonstrations against the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms soon grew into a broader movement against corruption, unemployment and poor governance and ultimately toppled the KP Oli Sharma government. These elections, the first since the Gen Z protests, are raising the same concerns at the ballot box- with voters now seeking answers through the choice of a new government. “This election will decide whether my 4-year-old son will live in Nepal or migrate to another country,” Biki Shrestha told The New York Times, a finance manager at an IT company. “We need change.” “For many years, we have seen the same political parties, and they have not changed anything in Nepal,” Sujan Sipai told NYT, a teacher from Bhaktapur. “That’s why this time the entire country has stood up against corruption and for Balen.”4. RSP’s young candidates
The RSP is fielding nine Gen Z candidates, several of whom were aides to Shah, a sharp contrast to Nepal’s traditional parties, which have far fewer Gen Z candidates despite stronger political machinery. Until recently, these parties were led by septuagenarian prime ministers. Earlier this year, the Nepali Congress nearly split when Gagan Kumar Thapa, 49, ousted the party president who was three decades older. Overall, 65 political parties contested the elections and nearly 160 Gen Z candidates were on the ballot, roughly half as independents.5. Massive voter travel before polling
Ahead of the vote, about 800,000 people left Kathmandu Valley to travel back to their hometowns to cast ballots, as Nepal’s law requires citizens to vote in their registered constituencies, BBC reported. With more than 80% of Nepal’s terrain mountainous and about a tenth of its 30 million population living in Kathmandu Valley for work or study, the migration led to packed highways and hours-long traffic jams, the report added. This also shows increased anticipation about the outcome of the 2026 elections. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Priyanjali Narayan Priyanjali Narayan is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi, with over two years of experience covering national and international news. She reports on breaking developments, writes in-depth explainers, and works on feature stories that examine the political, social, and cultural dimensions of both global and domestic affairs. Her work focuses on clarity, context, and making complex events accessible to a wide audience. Before joining Hindustan Times, she was part of the India Today newsroom, where she specialised in explanatory journalism. There, she wrote detailed analyses of major domestic and international issues and produced feature stories that included interviews with prominent public figures. The role strengthened her ability to combine speed with depth in a fast-paced news environment. She holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in History from the University of Delhi. Her academic training continues to shape her storytelling, grounding her work in historical context and research-driven insight. Outside the newsroom, she enjoys reading personal essays and fiction, and is often planning her next trip, always seeking stories that deepen her understanding of people and places.Read More Nepal Election Nepal Elections Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, Nepal, UK, Bangladesh, Russia, and Bangladesh election result 2026 LIVE get all the latest headlines in one place on Hindustan Times. News / World News / Rapper To Be Next Nepal PM? Gen-Z Favourite Balen Shah's RSP Heads To Win General Elections | 5 Points See LessIt might take a few days for Nepal to declare a clear winner in its national elections but raper-turned-politician Balen Shah has emerged as the man of the moment. The former Kathmandu mayor is now likely to be the next Prime Minister of Nepal.
The large lead and several wins of his new party founded in 2022 is also telling of the youth's frustration with Nepal's status quoist and elitist politics spearheaded by its old guards such as the former PM KP Sharma Oli.
This was also seen in the Gen Z protests, also called by some a "revolution", which had although started with a social media ban but turned into large scale protests showing disillusionment of the youth with poverty, unemployment and frustrations with the life of its elite.
Follow here for live updates
Shah and his politics, including his mayoral campaign and his rap music became symbols of a new politics for the youth.
If the RSP’s strong performance continues, the results could mark a major victory for Nepal’s youth-driven political movement.
Shah is also maintaining a lead over CPN-UML chairman and former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in his home constituency of Jhapa-5. Oli had resigned as prime minister following the Gen Z protests in September 2025.
RSP was also leading Nepal’s proportional representation vote with 35,091 votes - about 57.2 per cent of the 61,399 ballots counted till 12 pm.
“This is heading to a landslide victory - this reflects the frustration that has been building up,” political analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta told AFP. “It is actually the people’s revolt against the established political parties,” he added.
Not many had predicted the scale of the political change.
“This is even a bigger upset than we expected — it underscores the level of public disenchantment with the old parties for under-performance, as well as anger over the events of September,” Kunda Dixit, publisher of Nepali Times told AFP news agency.
What began as demonstrations against the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms soon grew into a broader movement against corruption, unemployment and poor governance and ultimately toppled the KP Oli Sharma government.
These elections, the first since the Gen Z protests, are raising the same concerns at the ballot box- with voters now seeking answers through the choice of a new government.
“This election will decide whether my 4-year-old son will live in Nepal or migrate to another country,” Biki Shrestha told The New York Times, a finance manager at an IT company. “We need change.”
“For many years, we have seen the same political parties, and they have not changed anything in Nepal,” Sujan Sipai told NYT, a teacher from Bhaktapur. “That’s why this time the entire country has stood up against corruption and for Balen.”
Until recently, these parties were led by septuagenarian prime ministers. Earlier this year, the Nepali Congress nearly split when Gagan Kumar Thapa, 49, ousted the party president who was three decades older.
Overall, 65 political parties contested the elections and nearly 160 Gen Z candidates were on the ballot, roughly half as independents.
With more than 80% of Nepal’s terrain mountainous and about a tenth of its 30 million population living in Kathmandu Valley for work or study, the migration led to packed highways and hours-long traffic jams, the report added.
This also shows increased anticipation about the outcome of the 2026 elections.
Source: HindustanTimes
Related Posts: Why Is Nepal's Youth Calling A Rapper-Mayor Balen Shah Their Next PM Nepal's former rapper to run for PM in key vote after Gen Z protests Is Nepal's ex-rapper mayor on track to be new PM Rapper Kendrick Lamar lands the biggest wins at the 2025 BET Awards Rapper-politician & Gen-Z favourite Rapper Hanumankind returns to stage for first time after knee surgery Did rapper T-Rex suffer seizure during live showdown Selena Gomez reveals she had the ‘biggest crush’ on this rapper when she was 5 Fugees rapper Pras Michel sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegal lobbying Rapper Lil Nas X found roaming in LA at 4 am after
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has said Sunrisers Leeds' signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed "indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians". Gavaskar's comments are the most high-profile criticism of Sunrisers' deal for Abrar at last week's Hundred auction
5 hours ago
The US artificial intelligence (AI) firm Anthropic is looking to hire a chemical weapons and high-yield explosives expert to try to prevent "catastrophic misuse" of its software. In other words, it fears that its AI tools might tell someone how to make chemical or radioactive weapons
5 hours ago
If one wants to explore the many debates and controversies surrounding the Congress and its role in shaping India’s political trajectory, there may soon be a new address in the capital to turn to. At 3, Safdarjung Lane, the official residence of Nishikant Dubey — the Bharatiya Janata Party MP
5 hours ago
Chelsea have been handed a Premier League record fine of £10.75m and a suspended transfer ban. It was a result of the club making secret payments to unregistered agents and third-parties over transfers between 2011 and 2018. But it could have been a lot worse
5 hours ago
Kerala Congress (M), BDJS announce names of 12 candidates eachKerala Congress (M) and BDJS announced candidates for the upcoming assembly polls, including KC(M) chairman Jose K Mani from Pala and 12 others from BDJS. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 7:36 AM IST By Vishnu Varma
5 hours ago
Iran’s National Security Chief Ali Larijani on Monday penned a note to Muslim countries, questioning their lack of support for Tehran as the US-Israeli war is now entering its third week with no clear end in sight, disrupting global energy supplies and raising fears of a spike in global inflation
5 hours ago
Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi expressed strong displeasure over Dr. Asif Nazar being considered for the Lahorighat Assembly ticket, citing Nazar's alleged association with an individual charged in an attack on Bordoloi. Bordoloi wrote to AICC General Secretary Jitendra Singh
5 hours ago
A sessions court in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district on Monday convicted five persons and acquitted 35 others in connection with a 2016 case in which seven Dalits were assaulted in the town of Una, The Indian Express reported. Additional Sessions Judge Jignesh Pandya of the court in Veraval
5 hours ago
It's Hollywood's biggest night. The 98th Academy Awards featured emotional speeches, comical relief and a bevy of backstage fun. But it was perhaps a night to forget for Timothée Chalamet. As well as losing out to Michael B Jordan for best actor and One Battle After Another for best picture
5 hours ago
US President Donald Trump on Monday said more than 30 mine laying ships of Iran have been destroyed which has affected Tehran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. “We are hammering their capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz with more
5 hours ago
Love Horoscope Today for March 17, 2026: A spontaneous moment could lead to a meaningful connectionLove Horoscope Today, March 17, 2026: Find daily astrological predictions for all sun signs. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 7:28 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link Aries: Mars is pushing you to
5 hours ago
Dubai arrests Iranian drone strike survivors after they sent explosion photos to loved ones3 foreigner nationals who survived drone strike in Dubai have been arrested after sending photos of the explosions to family members. Updated on: Mar 16
5 hours ago
‘Firms need to move to adaptive, energy-efficient AI models’Sarah Hooker is convinced that the future lies in AI systems that use less computing power, cost less to run and can adapt to the needs of users. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 6:58 AM IST By Shweta Taneja Share via Copy link In the last
5 hours ago
Baghdad witnessed a significant drone and rocket attack on the U.S. embassy early Tuesday. This incident marks the most intense assault since the commencement of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. Iraqi security forces have heightened their presence across the capital. The Green Zone
5 hours ago
Russell Wilson trade update: Chiefs hand a shock to Giants QB with Justin Fields move Published on: Mar 17, 2026 5:03 AM IST By Khushi Arora Share via Copy link New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) waves to fans after the game against the Dallas Cowboys (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
5 hours ago
![London [UK], March 17 (ANI): The Premier League has completed a disciplinary process with Chelsea FC in respect of historical breaches relating to Financial](http://newsorbit360.com/files/news/en/imgs/chelsea-fined-and-faces-supended-transfer-ban-by-premier-league.webp?height=520)
London [UK], March 17 (ANI): The Premier League has completed a disciplinary process with Chelsea FC in respect of historical breaches relating to Financial Reporting and Third Party Investment.In 2022, Chelsea FC’s current owners voluntarily reported to the League that they had evidence of
5 hours ago
A Bengaluru-based cafe has drawn attention on social media after adding a 5 per cent “Gas Crisis Charge" to a customer’s lemonade order, sparking debate on social media platform X. The unusual fee, applied on a bill for two mint lemonades, has left many users amused and some questioning its
5 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Still using an older laptop? These Intel 13th Gen laptops show what modern performance feels likeIntel 13th Gen laptops bring improved performance
5 hours ago
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is planning to delay a high stakes visit to China later in March by about a month because of the Iran war. "We've requested that we delay it a month or so," he told reporters at the White House
5 hours ago
LDF ally ISJD, UDF ally RSP name candidates for four seats eachThe ISJD and RSP announced their candidates for Kerala Assembly polls, with ISJD's K Krishnankutty retiring from politics and RSP seeking assembly representation. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 7:30 AM IST By Vishnu Varma
5 hours ago
Horoscope Today, March 17, 2026: Operational strategies at work need refinementHoroscope Today: Read the astrological predictions for each zodiac sign based on an expert's guidance on March 17, 2026. Published on: Mar 17, 2026 7:19 AM IST By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
5 hours ago
The report from Elara Capital said retail gasoline and diesel prices “could be fully protected through excise cuts until roughly $110/bbl, beyond which price hikes on diesel and gasoline would become inevitable”. Also Read :Fino Payments Bank Shares Fall To 52-Week Low Amid Probe Reports;
5 hours ago
Punjab Assembly session: House passes motion against LoP Bajwa over ‘band player’ remarkThe Punjab assembly condemned opposition leader Partap Singh Bajwa for alleged derogatory remarks about a minister, leading to chaos and a walkout by Congress. Published on: Mar 17
5 hours ago
More than a thousand citizens in Ladakh's Leh and Kargil regions rallied on Monday, echoing calls for statehood and adherence to the Sixth Schedule. Leaders from the Apex Body Leh alongside the Kargil Democratic Alliance expressed their discontent regarding the central government's stance
5 hours ago
Menstrual pain is often dismissed as an inevitable part of being a woman. But when cramps become debilitating, interfere with daily life or are accompanied by chronic pelvic discomfort, they may signal something more serious. One such condition is endometriosis – a long-term disorder affecting
5 hours ago
Khushbu Sundar comes out in support of Trisha amid her viral pics with Vijay: ‘She is one of the most dignified women’Khushbu Sundar has addressed the online chatter surrounding the public appearance of Vijay and Trisha Krishnan, after the divorce petition filed by Sangeeta. Mar 17, 2026
5 hours ago
Rex Culpepper's fiancee pays sweet tribute after tragic bike accident death: ‘I don’t regret' Published on: Mar 17, 2026 4:55 AM IST By Yash Nitish Bajaj Share via Copy link Former Syracuse quarterback Rex Culpepper died after an accident on Saturday (Instagram/Rex Culpepper) Rex Culpepper
5 hours ago
