Rastriya Swatantra Party Achieves Historic Victory in Nepal Elections

Historic Shift in Nepal's Political Landscape

Kathmandu, March 7: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, is poised for a remarkable victory in Nepal's general elections, signaling a significant transformation in the nation's political dynamics and diminishing the influence of long-standing political entities.

As per the Election Commission's updates, the RSP has claimed victory in 39 out of the 50 declared seats and is leading in approximately 80 additional constituencies as the vote counting progresses nationwide. Notably, the party has achieved a clean sweep in all 10 constituencies within the Kathmandu district, highlighting its substantial rise in urban areas.

These elections mark the first since the large-scale Gen Z protests last year, which resulted in the collapse of the coalition government headed by former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. The protests called for extensive reforms, including the eradication of corruption, enhanced governance, and a generational shift in political leadership.

Founded in 2022 by media figure and former home minister Ravi Lamichhane, the RSP has positioned Balendra Shah, affectionately known as 'Balen,' as its candidate for prime minister. Shah, a 35-year-old engineer and former mayor of Kathmandu, has emerged as a potent symbol of youth-driven political change throughout the campaign.

During his rallies, Shah identified himself as the 'son of Madhesh,' with the party adopting the slogan 'Ab ki bar Balendra Sarkar' (This time, there will be Balendra's government). The campaign commenced in Janakpur, located in Madhesh province, where the party is also performing exceptionally well.

In Madhesh province, the RSP has won seven out of 32 seats across eight districts and is leading in 23 others, indicating a strong performance in the region.

The party has also made notable strides in the Kathmandu Valley, winning all 10 seats in Kathmandu district, along with two in Bhaktapur and one in Lalitpur. It is currently leading in the remaining two seats in the Valley as well.

On the final day of campaigning, Shah orchestrated a massive roadshow across all 15 constituencies of Kathmandu Valley, which analysts believe further enhanced the party's appeal among young voters and urban middle-class demographics.

In contrast, traditional parties are lagging behind. The Nepali Congress has won six seats and is leading in 12 others. The Nepali Communist Party has secured two seats and is leading in six. The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), led by ousted Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, has also won two seats and is leading in eight constituencies.

Other smaller parties, such as the Shram Sanskriti Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, are leading in four seats each, while one seat has been claimed by an independent candidate.

Vote counting is ongoing in 162 of the 165 constituencies that utilize direct voting.

RSP chairman Ravi Lamichhane achieved a significant victory in the Chitwan-2 constituency, marking his third consecutive term with 54,402 votes, defeating Nepali Congress candidate Mina Kumari Kharel, who garnered 14,564 votes.

Balendra Shah himself won decisively from the Jhapa-5 constituency, defeating four-time Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli in what was previously considered Oli's stronghold. Shah received 52,069 votes compared to Oli's 14,031.

Given this commanding performance, Shah is widely anticipated to become Nepal's next prime minister, reflecting a growing public sentiment against the traditional political establishment. Nepal has experienced considerable political instability in recent years, with 14 governments formed in the past 18 years.

In other results, former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' of the Nepali Communist Party won from Rukum Purba district with 10,240 votes, defeating CPN-UML candidate Lilamani Gautam, who received 3,462 votes.

The RSP is also leading in the proportional representation system, having secured 126,503 votes thus far. The Nepali Congress has received 38,343 votes, followed by CPN (UML) with 28,721 votes, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party with 10,962 votes, the Nepali Communist Party with 10,794 votes, and the Shrama Shakti Party with 6,474 votes.

Under Nepal's electoral framework, the 275-member House of Representatives is constituted through a mixed model: 165 members are elected via direct voting, while the remaining 110 seats are allocated through proportional representation based on the total votes received by political parties.

Approximately 18.9 million voters were eligible to participate in the elections, with nearly 60 percent turnout recorded on polling day. Over 3,400 candidates contested for 165 direct seats, while 3,135 candidates vied for the proportional representation seats.

These elections are being closely observed by neighboring India, which has expressed hopes for political stability in Nepal. India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently stated that New Delhi looks forward to collaborating with the new government to strengthen the longstanding ties between the two nations.

"India has consistently supported peace, progress, and stability in Nepal," he remarked, adding that logistical assistance was provided to Nepal for the conduct of the elections.