Residents of Nepal's capital Kathmandu on Saturday suddenly broke into singing and
dancing in the streets. They were celebrating the campaign of Balandra Shah, widely known as
Balin. The former rapper and city mayor is seen as the top contender to become Prime
Minister in the March 5th general election. The streets turned into a wave of blue, the
color of his party's election symbol. Last September, a major youth-led protest swept
Nepal. 77 people died in the unrest, with then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli ultimately forced
to step down. Right after the resignation, Shah shared a pointed message with his millions
of social media followers. Dear Gen Z, the resignation of your killer has come. Now your
generation will have to lead the country. Be prepared. Shah stood down as Kathmandu's mayor
in January to contest the election. He joined the centrist party, Rastriya Swatantra and has
campaigned across 50 of Nepal's 77 districts. His campaign, however, is anything but
conventional. Aides say he often drives. Himself and regularly makes impromptu stops to
greet supporters. If Shaw wins, it would mark an incredible rise for someone who first became
famous through rap songs critical of those in charge. A win could also reshape Nepal's
politics, which has long been dominated by a few established parties.