Biratnagar, July 30 -- In the Koshi Province Assembly, when Gombu Sherpa rises to speak, lawmakers become more attentive-not for a traditional political speech, but for a song.

Known popularly as 'Gitange Mananiya' (the singing lawmaker), Sherpa has turned protest into performance, delivering critiques of the government in biting, poetic verses.

Elected from Solukhumbu 1(1) as Maoist Centre candidate, Sherpa doesn't just raise questions in the Assembly-he sings them. "I started humming out of frustration with the government's activities," he said. "My voice isn't that great, but I can carry a tune."

Sherpa began singing when he was in student politics in the late 1990s, when he was associated with the UML's student wing. He later joine...