Rastriya Swatantra Party Dominates Nepal's Parliamentary Elections

The Rastriya Swatantra Party has made a significant impact in Nepal's parliamentary elections, winning 119 direct seats and leading in six more. Balendra Shah, the party's prime ministerial candidate, notably defeated former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. This election follows widespread protests that led to Oli's ouster, marking a pivotal moment in Nepal's political landscape. With over 3,400 candidates from various parties contesting, the results reflect a shift in voter sentiment. The final results are expected to be announced soon, as the counting of proportional votes continues.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 8, 2026, 19:22 IST

Election Results Overview

In the recent parliamentary elections in Nepal, the Rastriya Swatantra Party has secured 119 direct seats and is currently leading in six additional constituencies, as reported by the Election Commission of Nepal. This marks a significant consolidation of their position as the vote counting process approaches completion.

The Nepali Congress has managed to win 17 seats, while both the Nepali Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) have each claimed seven victories.

Voting for the 275 parliamentary seats took place on Thursday, with 165 of these being determined through direct voting. The remaining seats will be allocated based on a proportional representation system, allowing parties to nominate lawmakers according to their share of the vote.

Vote Count and Proportional Representation

As of Sunday, the Rastriya Swatantra Party has garnered approximately 2,239,870 proportional votes, which accounts for nearly half of the total votes cast across the nation. Election Commission officials have indicated that the final results may take up to a week to be announced, as the counting of proportional representation votes is expected to require additional time.

Key Political Figures

Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician and the Rastriya Swatantra Party's candidate for prime minister, achieved a notable victory over former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli by a margin exceeding 49,600 votes in the Jhapa-5 constituency. At just 35 years old, Shah previously served as the mayor of Kathmandu.

This election marks the first general election in Nepal following the significant protests in September that led to the ousting of the Oli government.

Background of the Protests

The political crisis that resulted in Oli's removal began with protests triggered by the government's ban on 26 social media platforms on September 4. Although the ban was lifted shortly after, the protests escalated into a larger movement against perceived corruption and mismanagement, culminating in Oli's resignation just a day later.

The protests, which were primarily driven by younger generations, resulted in at least 72 fatalities. On September 12, Sushila Karki, a former chief justice, was appointed as interim prime minister until a new government could be established.

In total, over 3,400 candidates from 65 different parties participated in the general election held on Thursday.