Ranju Darshana Neupane Makes History in Nepal's Parliamentary Elections

Historic Victory for RSP Candidate

Kathmandu, March 6: Ranju Darshana Neupane has made history by becoming the first candidate to win a seat in Nepal's House of Representatives during the parliamentary elections held on Thursday. Representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) from Kathmandu-1, Neupane secured a total of 15,455 votes, decisively defeating Prabal Thapa from the Nepali Congress, who received 6,364 votes. Rabindra Mishra, representing the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, trailed with 3,972 votes.

This victory marks Neupane's second attempt at entering Parliament, having previously run as an Independent candidate in the 2022 elections without success.

Her political career began to gain traction during the 2017 local elections when she ran for mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, earning 23,439 votes and establishing herself as a key figure in alternative politics.

Neupane's political journey started in 2013 with the Bibeksheel Nepali Party, where she was involved in the "Nepal Khulla Chha (Nepal is Open)" campaign, which protested against the frequent strikes and shutdowns enforced by traditional political factions.

After a brief hiatus from politics to focus on her family, she returned to the scene following the merger of her former party with the RSP just months before the elections. Previously, she served as the general secretary of Bibeksheel Sajha and is now part of the RSP's central committee.

The Bibeksheel movement is recognized for laying the groundwork for alternative political practices in Nepal.

Initially, the RSP had placed Neupane on its proportional representation list, but after she expressed concerns about her position, the party opted to nominate her as a direct candidate for Kathmandu-1 under the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system.

Born in March 1996 and raised in Kathmandu by a single mother, Neupane credits her upbringing for her resilience and dedication to social justice. Her mother worked as a tailor and provided childcare to support her education despite financial challenges.

Neupane holds a Bachelor's degree in Development Studies from Kathmandu University and a Master's degree in Political Science from Tribhuvan University, along with a postgraduate diploma in counselling psychology.

In addition to her political endeavors, she is active in mental health awareness initiatives, offers basic psychosocial counselling, and teaches undergraduate courses at Thames International College in Kathmandu.