Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah and his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) appear to be heading toward a major victory in Nepal’s first general elections since the mass youth-led protests that shook the country in 2025.
According to the Election Commission of Nepal, the RSP has already secured 39 of the 50 seats declared so far and is leading in nearly 80 other constituencies. The early trends indicate the party could secure a decisive mandate in the 275-member House of Representatives of Nepal.
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The party has performed exceptionally well in the Kathmandu Valley. RSP candidates won all 10 seats in Kathmandu district, along with two seats in Bhaktapur and one in Lalitpur. The party is also leading in the remaining constituencies in the valley, placing it on course for an almost complete sweep in the region.
In Madhesh province, where the RSP launched its campaign from Janakpur in Dhanusha district, the party has won seven seats and is leading in 23 others out of the 32 constituencies.
Shah himself maintained a commanding lead in Jhapa-5 with 55,934 votes, far ahead of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), who trailed with 15,409 votes.
The election comes six months after youth-led protests toppled the government following widespread anger over corruption and economic hardship. Early trends suggest that the energy of those protests has translated into strong electoral support for the RSP.
