Nepal creates history: Youth icon Balen Shah takes oath as PM after massive victory

The massive anti-government protest toppled the former government last year, paving the way for a political change in the country.

Shah was elected as the leader of the parliamentary party of the Rastriya Swatantra Party on Thursday.

In the March 5 polls, the Rastriya Swatantra Party created history by winning nearly two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament.

The election saw people rejecting the traditional parties of the Himalayan country and welcoming a political outsider, fondly known as 'Balen'.

During the ceremony, President Ramchandra Paudel administered Shah's oath of office and secrecy.

The oath ceremony, held in a Vedic–Sanatan tradition for the first time, featured conch blowing from seven conches, recitations by 108 Batuks and chants by 108 Buddhist monks, The Himalayan Times reported.

A rapper-turned-politician, Shah, had previously served as the Mayor of Kathmandu. He resigned from the position to contest polls.

A structural engineer, Shah leads the Rastriya Swatantra Party that won 182 seats in the 275-member parliament in the March 5 polls.

Shah, who is a Madeshi, a person belonging to the southern plains bordering India,  had become a prominent voice of protest during the youth-led protest in the nation.

The oath-taking ceremony day is assumed to be significant since Nepal is celebrating the Hindu festival of Ram Navami.

Narendra Modi greets Shah

Indian PM Narendra Modi greeted him and wrote on X: "Warm congratulations to Mr. Balendra Shah on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal."

"Your appointment reflects the trust reposed in your leadership by the people of Nepal. I look forward to working closely with you to take India-Nepal friendship and cooperation to even greater heights for the mutual benefit of our two peoples," he said.