From Gen Z wave to heat in 150 days: Nepal PM Balen faces street anger, party unease

Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra "Balen" Shah, who assumed office just 150 days ago, is now facing street anger, political tension, and internal dissent. The youthful energy that propelled his rise to power seems to be working against him. Only two months into his tenure, young protesters returned to Kathmandu's Maitighar Mandala demanding his resignation.

Opposition MPs criticized his frequent absence from Parliament, where he had only attended five of the first 39 sittings. Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal later directed him to appear before lawmakers on August 26.

Shah's political honeymoon quickly turned sour upon his party's sweeping victory in the March 27 elections, as they secured 182 out of 275 House seats. In April, strict customs enforcement on goods from India disrupted essential supplies like groceries, medicines, and household essentials, sparking protests and a temporary relaxation of the measures.

In July, the death of a 25-year-old ride-share driver, Ganesh Nepali, who committed suicide outside the passport office, ignited demonstrations over municipal policing. The incident also reignited criticism against the government's actions against informal settlements and landless squatters, without adequate rehabilitation.

Shah faced mounting pressure over Nepal's border dispute with India after claiming in Parliament that both nations had encroached on each other's land. Opposition parties demanded evidence, an apology, and a retraction of his statement. Media pressure mounted as well, with the Federation of Nepali Journalists alleging in May that a senior journalist, Kishore Shrestha, had faced surveillance, attempted arrest, and threats after publishing reports criticizing a minister and ruling-party leaders.

Borderline communal clashes in southern Nepal further strained the situation, leading Shah to address the nation in response to criticism over his delayed reaction. In Pokhara, former Gorkha servicemen, their families, and prospective recruits continued to demand an end to the stalled recruitment of Nepalis into the Indian Army under Agnipath.

The strain within the RSP grew as lawmakers questioned Shah's distance from party structures and his unilateral governing style, with at least one MP suggesting that the government's survival was at risk if the Prime Minister remained isolated from the party system. Internal pressure prompted the Home Minister to urge RSP parliamentarians to contain their differences rather than bring them into the House.