Vote counting from Nepal’s general election—the first since 2025 Gen Z protests—shows Balendra Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) surging ahead in 72 of 165 direct seats, dwarfing rivals amid 60% turnout on Thursday.
RSP’s Landslide Momentum
RSP leads in 72 seats, with wins in Kathmandu-1 and Jhapa-5 where Shah personally trounces ex-PM KP Sharma Oli by over 4,000 votes (Shah: 5,348; Oli: 1,200+). Nepali Congress trails at 8 leads/wins, Oli’s CPN-UML at 6, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s Maoists at 2-3, per Kathmandu Post trends as of afternoon.
Key Battles and Shifts
In Sarlahi-4, RSP’s Amresh Singh leads Congress chief Gagan Thapa by 4,323 to 1,245 votes, signaling youth revolt against dynastic parties. RSP dominates across Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, and Lumbini provinces, fueled by anti-corruption pledges and Shah’s rap-fueled rallies. Remaining 110 proportional seats will follow, but direct trends point to RSP coalition power.
Context of Youth Uprising
Polls followed Gen Z-led upheaval ousting Oli’s regime after 77 deaths, with 1 million young voters backing Shah’s outsider bid for PM. Oli concedes polls as “peace duty” but faces rout; full results expected soon from Election Commission. This Gen Z wave could reshape Nepal’s unstable politics.
