A surprise alliance has emerged among Nepal's politicians ahead of next year's general election, following a deadly youth-led uprising that brought down the previous government in September.
Television host Rabi Lamichhane, who leads the Rastriya Swatantra party (RSP), and rapper-turned-Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah have formed an unlikely partnership. The 51-year-old Lamichhane, who was recently released on bail, will continue as chairperson of the RSP, while Shah, just 35 years old, has been elected as the prime ministerial candidate for the 5 March election.
The move comes after weeks of protests by Nepal's young people, who were outraged by a brief government ban on social media and frustrated with years of economic stagnation and corruption. At least 77 people lost their lives in the violent uprising that began in September.
Lamichhane has taken a pragmatic approach to the alliance, saying "Consensus should not be as the leader seeks, it should be what the country needs". This reflects his experience as a television host, where he's known for his ability to engage with diverse audiences.
Shah, popularly known as Balen, is seen as a figure of hope in Nepal's transition to democracy. He played a key role in forming the interim government after the previous one was ousted.
Meanwhile, Sushila Karki, who led the interim government, has held meetings with other top politicians to discuss the election. Her message on social media underscores the need for unity and cooperation among all stakeholders.
The formation of this alliance is seen as a response to the demands of Nepal's younger generation, which was driven by anger over corruption and economic hardship. It remains to be seen how this unlikely partnership will shape Nepal's politics in the coming months.
Television host Rabi Lamichhane, who leads the Rastriya Swatantra party (RSP), and rapper-turned-Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah have formed an unlikely partnership. The 51-year-old Lamichhane, who was recently released on bail, will continue as chairperson of the RSP, while Shah, just 35 years old, has been elected as the prime ministerial candidate for the 5 March election.
The move comes after weeks of protests by Nepal's young people, who were outraged by a brief government ban on social media and frustrated with years of economic stagnation and corruption. At least 77 people lost their lives in the violent uprising that began in September.
Lamichhane has taken a pragmatic approach to the alliance, saying "Consensus should not be as the leader seeks, it should be what the country needs". This reflects his experience as a television host, where he's known for his ability to engage with diverse audiences.
Shah, popularly known as Balen, is seen as a figure of hope in Nepal's transition to democracy. He played a key role in forming the interim government after the previous one was ousted.
Meanwhile, Sushila Karki, who led the interim government, has held meetings with other top politicians to discuss the election. Her message on social media underscores the need for unity and cooperation among all stakeholders.
The formation of this alliance is seen as a response to the demands of Nepal's younger generation, which was driven by anger over corruption and economic hardship. It remains to be seen how this unlikely partnership will shape Nepal's politics in the coming months.
so what's good is that nepal finally seems to be taking its youth seriously... they're not just gonna sit idly by, you feel? it's about time the politicians listen up and make some real changes. lamichhane and shah seem like a decent combo - lamichhane's got experience and shah's got the energy. plus, it's not like we haven't seen this before with sushila karki's interim gov... but at least now there's some actual progress being made 
77 people losing their lives in protests is crazy imagine all those youth energy being channeled into something so positive like a alliance between Rabi and Balen lol what's next an alliance with the Nepali cricket team to take down corruption? 
anyway it's cool to see them taking a pragmatic approach i mean who wouldn't want to unite the country for the sake of unity & cooperation 
hope this new gov works out better than the last one
The fact that they're putting aside their differences to try and bring some stability to the country is definitely worth noting. And on a personal level, I think it's cool that Lamichhane is taking a pragmatic approach, considering his experience as a TV host where he's had to engage with all sorts of people. 
As for Shah, he seems like a figure who can bring some fresh energy to the politics scene in Nepal. We'll just have to wait and see how this alliance plays out over the next few months! 
. Lamichhane seems like a pretty level-headed dude, so I'm curious to see if Shah can balance out his youthful energy 
. Alliances and unity are always a good thing, especially after that youth uprising 
. Fingers crossed this partnership brings some real change to Nepal 
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at the same time. Like, how long is it gonna last? Is it just a publicity stunt to appease the youth or do they actually have a plan in place? 
And what's up with Rabi Lamichhane being so "pragmatic" all of a sudden... was he always like that or did he just wake up one day and become Mr. Unity 
? Meanwhile, Balen is still super popular among the youth, but can he really deliver on his promises? 
And what about Sushila Karki's messages on social media - is she trying to create a sense of unity or just spreading more confusion? 
. balendra shah is also a cool choice as prime ministerial candidate, been a positive influence in kathmandu as mayo 
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. interesting that Lamichhane & Shah are teaming up, both have been vocal about addressing corruption and economic growth - let's see if they can deliver 
.
anyway i'm rooting for this unlikely duo 
at least 77 lives lost already 
) and now he's teaming up with Balendra Shah, who's basically the youngest prime ministerial candidate I've ever seen - 35?! That's like me trying to run a marathon in high heels 
.
so its gonna be intresting 2 see hw dis alliance plays out esp wen balen shah isnt even that expeirienced 
. It's all about finding that sweet spot between pragmatism and what's best for the country 
can't wait to see how this plays out in the election & if it'll actually make a difference for Nepals younger gen 