Nepal, March 8 -- It took the September GenZ firestorm and public anger against non-performing actors for a 35-year-old structural engineer and rapper Balendra (Balen) Shah to oust Nepal's three-time prime minister and former revolutionary.

The UML's KP Oli has been trounced by 50,000 votes in his home turf, an area where he has won many elections in his 55-year political career. It is the same story across Nepal, where established politicians are being rejected by voters.

A 'Balen Wave' has swept the country, dyeing it in the RSP's Blue party colour. But the UML and NC particularly did this to themselves.

An apology and a retirement after the September protests would have saved Oli some dignity, and given the rebranded UML a tiny bit...