The Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by the young rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, commonly known as Balen, is poised for a remarkable victory in Nepal’s recent general elections, capturing over two-thirds of the available seats.

The elections witnessed considerable setbacks for traditional political parties, with the RSP established only in 2022, reportedly winning 122 out of 165 directly elected seats in the House of Representatives. As of 8:30 PM, the Election Commission had declared results for 159 seats, with the counting process for the remaining six continuing and expected to conclude by Monday afternoon.

Balen Shah’s Notable Defeat of Established Leaders

On Saturday, Balen secured a significant victory in the Jhapa-5 constituency, defeating KP Sharma Oli, a four-time prime minister and head of the CPN-UML, by a margin of approximately 50,000 votes. This victory positions Balen, at 35 years of age, to potentially become Nepal’s youngest and first Madhesi prime minister, reflecting a growing public sentiment against established party politics.

Following the RSP’s performance, the Nepali Congress (NC) emerged as a distant second, securing 17 seats, while the CPN-UML managed to win only eight, leading in two additional constituencies.

Electoral Outcomes and Party Performances

The Nepali Communist Party (NCP) won seven seats, the Shram Sanskriti Party secured three, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party claimed one seat, according to data from the Election Commission. Among the unique wins, independent candidate Mahabir Pun triumphed in the Myagdi-1 constituency, having previously resigned from his role as education minister, defeating competitors from both the CPN-UML and NC. Notably, the RSP achieved a clean sweep in Kathmandu Valley, winning all 15 constituencies across three districts.

Key Victories and Political Shifts

RSP chairman Ravi Lamichhane also enjoyed a third consecutive victory, winning the Chitwan-2 constituency with a significant majority of 54,402 votes against NC’s Mina Kumari Kharel, who garnered only 14,564 votes.

Former deputy speaker Indira Rana Magar, representing the RSP, achieved a notable margin in Jhapa-2, defeating CPN-UML’s Dev Raj Ghimire. Meanwhile, Nepali Congress president Gagan Thapa lost in the Dhanusha-4 constituency to Amaresh Singh of the RSP. Other senior NC leaders, including Guru Raj Ghimire and Bimalendra Nidhi, also faced defeat.

Shock Defeats for Legacy Party Leaders

The elections resulted in significant losses for renowned figures from legacy parties. Two former prime ministers lost in their longstanding strongholds amid the electoral wave favoring the RSP. Former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, secured a win in Rukum Purba but faced challenges after changing constituencies.

Another prominent leader, Madhav Nepal, lost in Rautahat-1 to RSP’s Rajesh Kumar Chaudhari. Additionally, numerous CPN-UML officials, including the party general secretary, suffered defeats, as did many senior members of the Nepali Congress.

Women’s Representation in the Elections

The electoral process also saw a notable increase in women’s representation, with 14 women candidates emerging victorious; 13 hailing from the RSP. The elections were closely monitored by neighboring India, which seeks a stable governmental framework in Nepal to enhance bilateral developmental cooperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended congratulations to the people of Nepal for their vibrant exercise of democratic rights during these elections.

Voter Turnout and Upcoming Procedures

The House of Representatives elections saw approximately 60% voter turnout on March 5. Out of the total 275 parliamentary members, 165 are elected via direct voting while the remaining 110 are chosen through a proportional voting system. Close to 3,400 candidates contested for direct seats and 3,135 for proportional representation.

The RSP led the proportional voting results as well, obtaining over 28 million votes, significantly ahead of the Nepali Congress and other parties. The Election Commission anticipates concluding the counting by Wednesday morning and will finalize the seat allotment by March 19.

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