India, Aug. 24 -- When Balendra 'Balen' Shah entered Nepal's prime ministerial office on March 27, he appeared to represent a decisive break from a political system dominated for years by familiar faces.

The former underground rapper, structural engineer and Kathmandu mayor had built his political identity around confrontation with the establishment.

His rise was closely associated with Nepal's Gen Z political wave and the rejection of the country's revolving-door politics.

At 35, Shah became one of Nepal's youngest prime ministers in decades.

His Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), with Shah as its prime ministerial candidate, secured a sweeping mandate in the March 5 election, defeating established political forces.

The symbolism was p...