Nepal Elections 2026: Balen Shah’s Party Heads for Landslide Victory After Gen Z Protests Oust Oli Government

VoM News Desk | March 6, 2026 | 06:29 PM IST | Breaking News, Politics, World |
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Nepal Elections 2026: Balen Shah’s Party Heads for Landslide Victory After Gen Z Protests Oust Oli Government

Kathmandu, March 6: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was heading towards a landslide victory on Friday in Nepal’s first general elections since mass youth protests toppled the government led by K P Sharma Oli last year.

According to the Election Commission of Nepal, the RSP was leading in 70 of the 94 constituencies where vote counting was underway as of Friday afternoon. In contrast, the Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), and the Nepal Communist Party were each ahead in six constituencies.

The election has drawn close attention from India, which hopes a stable government will emerge in the politically fragile Himalayan nation to advance bilateral development partnerships.

“We look forward to working with the new Government of Nepal to further build on the robust multifaceted ties between our two countries,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs (India).

He added that India had supported Nepal by providing logistical assistance at the request of the Nepali government during the election process.

Shah Leading Against Former Prime Minister Oli

Shah, widely known by his stage name Balen, is contesting from Jhapa-5, where he is leading against four-time prime minister Oli in what has long been considered the veteran leader’s stronghold.

Early counting showed Shah receiving 6,090 votes, while Oli had 1,248 votes.

The RSP is also reportedly leading in all 10 constituencies in Kathmandu, reflecting strong support among urban and younger voters.

So far, the Election Commission has officially declared one seat each for the RSP and the Nepali Congress. RSP candidate Ranju Darshana won Kathmandu-1 with 15,455 votes, while Yogesh Gauchan Thakali of the Nepali Congress secured victory in Mustang with 3,307 votes.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is leading in Rukum East, where he has received 5,924 votes.

High Voter Turnout

Nearly 60 percent of Nepal’s 18.9 million eligible voters participated in Thursday’s elections for the 275-member House of Representatives.

Of these seats:

165 members are elected through the first-past-the-post system

110 members are chosen through proportional representation

More than 3,400 candidates contested the direct elections, while 3,135 candidates ran for proportional representation seats.

Elections Follow Gen Z Uprising

The elections were triggered by dramatic political upheaval last year when Gen Z-led protests forced the collapse of Oli’s coalition government on September 8–9.

Following the unrest, President Ramchandra Paudel dissolved parliament on September 12 and appointed Sushila Karki as caretaker prime minister.

The youth movement had demanded anti-corruption reforms, better governance, an end to political nepotism, and generational change in leadership.

Nepal has experienced chronic political instability, with 14 governments formed in the past 18 years, highlighting the fragile nature of its democratic system.

If the current trends continue, Shah’s RSP could emerge as a dominant new force in Nepalese politics, reshaping the country’s political landscape after decades of dominance by traditional parties.

VoM News Desk

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