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Rastriya Swatantra Party is heading for a sweeping victory in Nepal’s 2026 general elections, leading across key regions. Its prime ministerial candidate, Balendra Shah, defeated former PM K. P. Sharma Oli, strengthening expectations that he could become the next prime minister.
In Nepal’s closely watched general elections, rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, who represented the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), appeared to be heading for a sweeping victory on Saturday, 7 March, according to data from the Election Commission. The RSP has won 67 seats and is leading on 55 seats.
The general elections, held on 5 March, were the first ones since the Gen Z protest that took place in September 2025 and shattered the dominance of the established political parties. The party, which projected Shah as its candidate for prime minister, began its election campaign in Janakpur in Madhesh province’s Dhanusha district and is now poised to secure a decisive victory in the province.
RSP wins big in Nepal elections
Of the total 32 seats in eight districts of Madhesh province, the RSP won seven and is also leading in 23 other constituencies. Reports suggest that RSP is also making a clean sweep in the Kathmandu Valley, where it won all 10 seats of Kathmandu district. Additionally, it won two in Bhaktapur and one in the Lalitpur district. Out of the 15 seats in the Kathmandu Valley, the party is also ahead by a large margin in the remaining two constituencies. On the final day of campaigning, the party organised a roadshow across all 15 constituencies in the valley, led by Balen.
Support for the RSP was visible across regions, from the Tarai plains to the mountainous areas and the Kathmandu Valley, The Kathmandu Post reported. Early counting of votes under the Proportional Representation system showed the party’s tally at more than three times that of its nearest rival, the Nepali Congress.
Balen Shah defeats former PM KP Oli
According to the Election Commission, former mayor and rapper Balendra 'Balen' Shah won Jhapa-5, defeating former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. According to the count, Balen received 68,348 votes, while former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli received 18,734 votes.
Nepali Congress takes the lead in six seats
The Nepali Congress, on the other hand, has secured victory in six seats and is leading in another 12. According to The Kathmandu Post, Nepali Congress president Gagan Thapa, whose party was the largest in the dissolved parliament, was trailing significantly behind RSP candidate Amresh Kumar Singh in Sarlahi-4.
Meanwhile, the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) has so far secured two seats and is leading in six others. NCP's coordinator, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, was the only one from among the top brass of the old 'Big Three' to win, this time from Rukum East-1.
Balen Shah to be the next PM?
According to a PTI report, the 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician is expected to be the next Prime Minister of Nepal, reflecting a public mood of rejection of established parties. Shah had earlier emerged as a popular figure to lead an interim government after Gen Z-led protests brought down the coalition government headed by KP Sharma Oli. However, he declined the proposal, saying he preferred to seek a full mandate through parliamentary elections.
In January, Shah joined the RSP, a party founded in 2022 by Ravi Lamichhane. Shortly after joining, he was named the party’s candidate for prime minister.
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