Nepal will hold first election since deadly protests, with 3 rivals vying to be prime minister

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KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A former rapper who ran Kathmandu as a mayor. The young leader of Nepal’s oldest political party. And a communist veteran politician hoping to return to power after being ousted in youth-led protests in which dozens were killed last year.

They are the three leading contenders as Nepal heads into a crucial nationwide election, the first since the protests led to the fall of former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli's government in September.

Whoever prevails will become Nepal’s 16th prime minister in less than two decades, underscoring the recurring political instability that has marked the Himalayan nation since the monarchy was abolished in 2008.

The protests in Nepal last year revealed the extent of young people’s frustration with corruption and a lack of opportunity in the country, where around a fifth of young adults are unemployed, but where the children of the political elite seem to enjoy luxury lifestyles and numerous advantages.

After public outrage led to the resignation of the government, millions of Nepalese voters are now gearing up to elect members of the House of Representatives, the powerful lower chamber of parliament. The next prime minister will be chosen after securing a majority in the house.

Balendra Shah, widely known as Balen, is seen as front-runner after emerging as a popular figure during the campaign. He was elected mayor of the capital, Kathmandu, in 2022 and later left the post to become the National Independent Party's candidate for prime minister.

The 35-year-old Shah trained as a structural engineer and later gained modest fame as a rap artist, using his music to take on social issues and politics.

Dressed in his signature black attire and sunglasses, Shah has been touring the country, with supporters often lining up to greet him.

Shah won the Kathmandu mayor’s race as an independent, riding a wave of public anger toward traditional political parties. He drew praise for clearing illegal vendors, tackling the city’s chronic garbage problem and pushing road expansions, but also faced criticism for ordering the demolition of homes and properties without adequate planning or notice.

“Our agenda is that the poor people who have no money in their pockets should get a full education. The poor people with empty pockets should get access to the health facilities. That is our agenda," he told his supporters in western Nepal last week.

Another contender is Gagan Thapa, the newly installed leader of the Nepali Congress, the country’s oldest major political party, a liberal democratic party with close ties to neighboring India.

Long seen as a popular face within the Nepali Congress, Thapa, 49, had been held back by the party’s senior leadership until earlier this year, when he mounted a rebellion and secured his election as party chief.

The Nepali Congress has remained a popular party, but was part of the last coalition government that was forced out by a youth revolt in September. The youth-led protests were triggered by a social media ban before snowballing into a popular revolt against the government. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured when protesters attacked government buildings and police opened fire on them.

Thapa says his first priority would be to rid Nepal of corruption within five years and make the government fully accountable to the public.

The other contender for the post is Khadga Prasad Oli, the controversial but strong communist leader who led the coalition government that was forced out of power last year. He is blamed by many for the deaths in the violent protests that ousted him.

Despite criticism of his handling last year’s protests, Oli still commands support within the Communist Party and among many of its supporters.

Oli has consistently argued that steady policies and politics are essential for Nepal, warning that the economy needs stability to develop.

Oli's popularity peaked when he stood up to an economic blockade imposed by India in 2015 that resulted in shortages of fuel, medicine and other necessities.

Nepal is located between Asian giants India and China, and both countries have shown keen interest in having influence in their smaller neighbor. Thapa's party is traditionally closer to India while Oli's communist groups are seen as more friendly to China.