Balendra Shah's RSP Makes History; defeated four-time former prime minister K P Sharma Oli.
Balen Shah secured 68,348 votes against 74-year-old Oli's 18,734, the Election Commission (EC) of Nepal said.
New Delhi, Kathmandu: India is closely monitoring developments in Nepal following a sweeping electoral victory by the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which has emerged as the dominant political force.
The party, formed in 2022 by Ravi Lamichhane, has won 117 of the 165 directly elected seats in the House of Representatives and is leading in eight more, according to the Election Commission.
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, popularly known as “Balen”, is expected to become the next Prime Minister, reflecting a strong public mandate against established political parties.
The results show a significant setback for Nepal’s traditional parties. The Nepali Congress has won 17 seats, while the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) led by former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli has secured seven seats and is leading in three.
The Nepal Communist Party has won seven seats, the Shram Sanskriti Party two seats and is leading in one, while the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has secured one seat. One independent candidate has also won.
Election Commission data showed that the RSP secured a clean sweep in all 15 constituencies across three districts in the Kathmandu Valley.
In a closely watched contest, Balendra Shah defeated former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli by a margin of about 50,000 votes in the Jhapa-5 constituency.
Nepali Congress president Gagan Thapa lost from Dhanusha-4 constituency to RSP candidate Amaresh Singh.
The elections were closely watched by India, which has emphasised the importance of political stability in the Himalayan nation for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Nepal for the successful conduct of the elections.
“It is heartening to see my Nepali sisters and brothers exercise their democratic rights so vibrantly. This historic milestone is a proud moment in Nepal's democratic journey,” Modi said in a post on X.
He added that India remains committed to working closely with the people of Nepal and its new government to strengthen cooperation and promote peace and development.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle with agency inputs )
Next Story