From Mayor to PM: Balen’s Trials Begin Now

The country is all set to get a new prime minister, and it is none other than Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen. Not long ago, he was a non-political individual, an engineer by profession and a rapper by hobby. Later, he became a popular mayor of Kathmandu among youngsters. Now, he is on his way to lead the whole country. Though his arrival at national politics feels sudden, he gained a lot from prevailing anger, fatigue of old leaders, and a kind of public impatience that had been building for years. The outcome of the March 5 snap poll has reflected voters’ rejection of the existing political culture, and Balen has become a symbol of that rejection.