By Paavan MATHEMA
Kathmandu (AFP) Mar 8, 2026
Nepal’s centrist RSP get together of rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah had secured a majority within the direct parliamentary elections, partial official outcomes confirmed Sunday, and was heading for a landslide based on official developments.
The 35-year-old’s Rastriya Swatantra Occasion (RSP) was additionally main within the proportional illustration vote, based on outcomes declared and election fee developments.
The vote was the primary since lethal September 2025 youth anti-corruption protests toppled the federal government.
Shah himself had on Saturday defeated the veteran four-time prime minister KP Sharma Oli — whose Marxist-led authorities was ousted within the violence final 12 months — in his personal seat.
His victory over the 74-year-old Oli, and his rise from the capital’s mayor to potential prime minister, marks one of the dramatic leads to latest Nepali politics.
The September 2025 youth-led demonstrations, below a free Gen Z banner, started over a short social media ban however shortly tapped into broader grievances over corruption and a struggling financial system.
Elections on Thursday selected a brand new 275-member Home of Representatives, the decrease home of parliament, with 185 seats chosen immediately, and 110 by a proportional illustration vote.
Ballot displays the Asian Community for Free Elections stated Sunday that voting had been “peaceable and orderly and mirrored continued public engagement with democratic processes regardless of latest political instability”.
– ‘Mandatory motion’ –
On Sunday afternoon, 157 of the direct elections had been declared: RSP dominating with 121, Nepali Congress 17, and the Marxists of now-defeated Oli trailing with seven.
Former Maoist guerrilla commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a three-time prime minister, received his seat, along with his get together holding seven in whole.
Developments confirmed Shah’s RSP was additionally main in half of the remaining eight constituencies within the direct elections.
Within the proportional illustration vote, RSP was main with practically half of the counted votes — however closing outcomes may take a number of extra days.
Nepali Congress, the biggest get together previously coalition authorities, additionally noticed its new chief, Gagan Thapa, defeated by RSP.
“Counting is transferring ahead easily in all remaining constituencies,” Election Fee spokesman Narayan Prasad Bhattarai stated, including that closing outcomes will take a “few days”.
The primary-time parliamentary lawmaker Shah toured the streets of his new constituency on Saturday night, sporting his signature darkish sun shades and waving from the sunroof of a automobile in a victory parade by means of cheering crowds who chanted “Balen” — as he’s higher identified.
Shah, who didn’t make a speech, received greater than 3 times extra votes than Oli, who congratulated the winner, wishing him “a easy and profitable five-year tenure”.
Nepal’s government-formed investigation fee to probe the lethal September 2025 violence additionally submitted its report Sunday.
Nobody has been held accountable for the deaths as but.
Fee member Bigyan Raj Sharma informed reporters the group had questioned greater than 200 folks, and had submitted a 900-page report — with greater than 8,000 further pages.
“We tried to conduct fact-finding for September 8 and 9,” he stated.
“Primarily based on what we noticed, understood, and verified by means of the proof, we have now offered our opinions and suggestions.”
The report was handed to Sushila Karki, the interim prime minister.
Karki stated it might be as much as the brand new authorities taking energy to behave — however that she hoped its key findings can be made public earlier than she steps down.
“We is not going to be right here for its implementation, as a result of we have now to handover to the brand new authorities and go,” she stated.
“However, I consider, that the subsequent authorities will research and implement this.”
Oli has denied ordering safety forces to open hearth on protesters, and has informed AFP that he blames “infiltrators” for the violence.
Associated Hyperlinks
Democracy within the twenty first century at TerraDaily.com