By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A Nepali political party led by an ex-rapper is set for a landslide victory in the country’s first parliamentary election since Gen Z protests ousted the old leadership that has ruled the Himalayan nation for decades.
The Rastriya Swatantra, or National Independent Party, formed only four years ago, had already won 117 of 165 directly elected seats and led in eight other constituencies in the results published Sunday morning by Nepal’s Election Commission.
Other political parties and independent candidates had won 36 seats in total so far. Officials were still counting the votes Sunday and final results were expected later in the week.
The party’s prime ministerial candidate is rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, who won the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral race. He emerged as a leading figure in the 2025 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.
In Nepal, voters directly elect 165 members to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Parliament. The remaining 110 seats in the 275-member body are allocated through a proportional representation system, under which political parties are assigned seats based on their share of the vote. On Sunday, RSP also led that, with about 51% of the 110 seats.
The relatively new RSP has unseated the two long-dominant parties: the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), who have taken turns ruling the country.
Local papers called the sweeping win a historic moment. “RSP set for a landslide victory,” said the popular Himalayan Times. “People’s ballot revolt; shift in political paradigm,” said Annapurna Post.
RSP supporters have been celebrating the win in several constituencies, offering the winners flower garlands, bouquets, scarves and smearing them with red vermilion powder.
“The future prime minister (Shah) has clearly spoken that there will be no compromise when it comes to developing the country,” said RSP party member and volunteer Khagendra Chapagain, who was at the party headquarters in Kathmandu. “Our first agenda is to develop nation, and focus will be to work for health, education and the fight against corruption.”
The party officials, however, have asked their candidates and supporters to refrain from victory rallies or any other public celebrations out of respect for the dozens of lives lost during last year’s youth-led protests.
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Election official count votes at a counting center for parliamentary election in Lalitpur, Nepal, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
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Election official count votes at a counting center for parliamentary election in Lalitpur, Nepal, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
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In Nepal, voters get two ballot papers, one to choose a candidate of their choice who is usually a political party nominee and the other to choose a party they prefer.
RSP clearly has more than half the directly elected seats and the results of the second ballot also show the party has more than 50% of the votes in its favor. They require the support of half the total number of members in the lower chamber of Parliament to form a government.
Analysts say the party would have comfortable numbers in the parliament to form a single-party government but faces challenges running the government.
“The problem or challenge with this new party would be to deliver things, given the limited resources and the limited institutional support. Because people have high expectations, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the new party can fulfill it,” said Keshab Prasad Poudel, an independent analyst.
Last year’s protests against corruption and poor governance were triggered by a social media ban before snowballing into a popular revolt against the government. Dozens were killed and hundreds wounded when protesters attacked government buildings and police opened fire on them.
