Nepal election results highlights: Balendra Shah's RSP makes history, registers landmark victory

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah's RSP is all set to form the next government in Nepal after securing sweeping victory in crucial general elections on Saturday, decimating the established parties in the politically fragile nation.

Popularly known as Balen, the 35-year-old prime ministerial candidate of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) defeated four-time prime minister KP Sharma Oli, the chair of Nepal's legacy party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) -- CPN-UML -- by a huge margin of about 50,000 votes in Jhapa-5 constituency.

Balen, 35, secured 68,348 votes against 74-year-old Oli's 18,734, the Election Commission (EC) said.

He is expected to be the next prime minister of Nepal, reflecting a public mood of rejection of established parties. The RSP, which was formed in 2022 by Ravi Lamichhane, has won 72 seats out of the 90 seats for which results were declared by 9:30 pm, according to the Election Commission (EC).

RSP's seats include a clean sweep in all 10 constituencies of Kathmandu district even as it is leading in 52 seats across the country, the EC data showed.

Legacy parties failed to convince voters for whom the major issues included fighting corruption and an end to nepotism apart from a generational change in political leadership of the Himalayan nation. (PTI)

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended greetings to Nepal's newly elected government as the Himalayan nation seeks to rebuild itself after massive GenZ protests.

PM Modi reiterated India's commitment to work with Nepal in establishing peace.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "I warmly congratulate the people and Government of Nepal on the successful and peaceful conduct of elections. It is heartening to see my Nepali sisters and brothers exercise their democratic rights so vibrantly. This historic milestone is a proud moment in Nepal's democratic journey. As a close friend and neighbour, India remains steadfast in its commitment to working closely with the people of Nepal and their new Government to scale new heights of shared peace, progress and prosperity." (ANI)

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Former prime minister K P Sharma Oli on Saturday congratulated Balendra Shah 'Balen' soon after the young RSP leader defeated the veteran CPN-UML chair by a huge margin in the legacy party's stronghold Jhapa-5 constituency in Nepal.

The Rashtriya Swatantrata Party (RSP) leader and former Kathmandu Mayor, popular only as Balen, is his party's prime ministerial candidate and defeated the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) and four-time PM Oli by almost 50,000 votes.

In a proverbial David versus Goliath fight, Balen, 35, secured 68,348 votes against 74-year-old Oli's 18,734 in the constituency in eastern Nepal's Koshi province, where the former prime minister had remained undefeated for years, the Election Commission (EC) said.

"Balen babu, congratulations for the victory," Oli wrote in his social media post.

Oli, who too was projected as the PM face of the CPN-UML, wished Balen for a full five year tenure for his government in the Himalayan nation that has seen 14 governments in the last 18 years. (PTI)

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has swept key seats across the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal’s ongoing House of Representatives election results.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has emerged as the clear frontrunner in Nepal’s House of Representatives elections, winning 44 seats.

The Nepali Congress securing seven seats, while the CPN-UML and the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) have won two seats each. Candidates from other parties have taken one seat.

According to the latest vote count updates, the RSP is also maintaining a strong lead in several constituencies across the country. The party is currently ahead in 75 seats.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: The election comes months after the 2025 protests that saw thousands of young people take to the streets over corruption, unemployment and restrictions on social media. The demonstrations intensified after clashes with police left 19 people, mostly students, dead.

Despite police orders, protesters continued to rally and demanded the resignation of the government led by then-prime minister KP Sharma Oli. On September 12, 2025, former chief justice Sushila Karki was sworn in as interim prime minister — becoming the first woman to hold the post — after days of unrest that left at least 74 people dead and more than 2,000 injured.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Nepal elects members to its House of Representatives through a mixed electoral system combining first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting and proportional representation. Voters cast two ballots on election day — one for an individual candidate in their constituency and another for a political party.

A total of 275 seats in the lower house of the Federal Parliament are being filled, according to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Of these, 165 members are elected through direct constituency contests under the FPTP system, while the remaining 110 seats are allocated through proportional representation based on each party’s share of the vote. The 165 constituency seats are spread across Nepal’s seven provinces.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra “Balen” Shah has defeated former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in Nepal’s Jhapa-5 constituency, according to Election Commission data. Shah secured 68,348 votes in the constituency, while Oli managed 18,734 votes in the latest count.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Nepal for the successful and peaceful conduct of its elections, calling it a significant step in the country’s democratic journey. In a message posted on X, Modi praised the participation of Nepali voters and reiterated India’s commitment to working closely with the neighbouring nation. “I warmly congratulate the people and Government of Nepal on the successful and peaceful conduct of elections… It is heartening to see my Nepali sisters and brothers exercise their democratic rights so vibrantly,” he said.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Nepal's rapper-turned-mayor Balendra Shah won a dramatic parliamentary contest on Saturday, defeating veteran leader KP Sharma Oli in the former prime minister's own constituency after staking his political future on the challenge.

Shah's victory over the veteran Marxist leader marks one of the most symbolic results of Nepal's high-stakes parliamentary election, held six months after mass anti-corruption protests toppled the government.

His win caps a bold gamble by the 35-year-old reformist, who resigned as Kathmandu mayor to challenge Oli, the 74-year-old four-time premier, in his own stronghold.

Shah had taken an unassailable lead on Saturday, according to Election Commission figures.

He will become prime minister if his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) party secures a parliamentary majority, as Election Commission trends on Saturday put it on course to do.

Better known as Balen, the sharply dressed 35-year-old has emerged as a symbol of youth-driven political change.

Born in Kathmandu in 1990, he was a schoolboy during Nepal's 1996-2006 Maoist civil war, which killed thousands and eventually ended the monarchy.

Shah trained as a civil engineer but first gained national attention through Nepal's underground hip-hop scene, releasing songs that railed against corruption and inequality. (AFP)

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah unseated former Nepal prime minister KP Sharma Oli in his own constituency, Election Commission data showed Saturday, with his party also seemingly headed for a landslide victory nationally.

The 35-year-old's victory over the 74-year-old Marxist leader -- and his rise from city mayor to potential prime minister -- marks one of the most dramatic results in recent Nepali politics.

The high-stakes election on Thursday came six months after deadly protests toppled the government led by Oli, with at least 77 people killed.

The September 2025 youth-led demonstrations, under a loose Gen Z banner, began over a brief social media ban but quickly tapped into broader grievances over corruption and a struggling economy.

Nationwide, Shah's centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was on track to win a majority in the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, according to early trends issued by the Election Commission, although counting still has far to go.

(AFP)

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Nepal’s electoral system includes 165 seats decided through direct first-past-the-post contests and another 110 through proportional representation. The final results are expected next week.

If the current trends hold, Shah’s campaign could mark one of the most significant political shifts in the country in years. It would also demonstrate the growing power of youth mobilisation and digital campaigning in South Asian politics.

The election comes months after the 2025 protests that saw thousands of young people take to the streets over corruption, unemployment and restrictions on social media. The demonstrations intensified after clashes with police left 19 people, mostly students, dead.

Despite police orders, protesters continued to rally and demanded the resignation of the government led by then-prime minister KP Sharma Oli. On September 12, 2025, former chief justice Sushila Karki was sworn in as interim prime minister — becoming the first woman to hold the post — after days of unrest that left at least 74 people dead and more than 2,000 injured.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has emerged as a dominant force, winning 29 seats and leading in 88 constituencies, as of 12 pm on Saturday — signaling a decisive shift away from Nepal’s long-standing political status quo.

Shah is also maintaining a lead over CPN-UML chairman and former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in his home constituency of Jhapa-5. Oli had resigned as prime minister following the Gen Z protests in September 2025.

RSP was also leading Nepal’s proportional representation vote with 35,091 votes - about 57.2 per cent of the 61,399 ballots counted till 12 pm.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Shah’s party is widely seen as Gen Z-backed, with his rise closely linked to the wave of youth frustration that fuelled last year’s protests.

A former rapper with a strong social media presence, Shah built a strong following among young urban voters through digital outreach, anti-establishment messaging and sharp criticism of traditional political elites.

Meanwhile, RSP candidate Ranju Neupane (Darshana) was the first to win a parliamentary seat from Kathmandu-1.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah's newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was on Saturday heading towards a landslide victory in Nepal's first general elections since the violent Gen Z protests, shattering the dominance of established political parties.

The RSP has won 34 seats with a clean sweep in all 10 constituencies of Kathmandu district and is leading in another 86 seats in the elections held on Thursday, according to the Election Commission data at 12.30 pm.

The Nepali Congress has secured victory in six seats and is leading in another 10. The Nepali Communist Party has won two seats and is leading in another eight.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) of ousted prime minister K P Sharma Oli has won one seat and is leading in eight.

The Shram Sanskriti Party is leading in four seats while the Rastriya Prajatantra Party in one seat. One seat was won by an independent.

RSP chairman Ravi Lamichhane won with a huge margin from Chitwan-2 constituency, marking his third consecutive victory.

The former home minister secured 54,402 votes against his nearest rival Mina Kumari Kharel from Nepali Congress who received 14,564 votes.

Balendra Shah, who was the mayor of Kathmandu till recently, has secured 42,532 votes in Jhapa-5 constituency against four-time prime minister and CPN-UML chair K P Sharma Oli in the latter's stronghold. Oli has received 11,427 votes so far. (PTI)

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: A quick recap of Nepal elections:

- Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP): 36 seats won, leading in 83

-Nepali Congress: 6 seats won, leading in 9

-CPN-UML: 2 seats won, leading in 9

- Nepali Communist Party: 2 seats won, leading in 8

-Others and independents: 1 seat won, leading in 6

(Source: The Kathmandu Post)

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: RSP is leading Nepal’s proportional representation vote count with 35,091 votes, or about 57.2% of the 61,399 ballots counted so far. The party has already won 25 seats in the first-past-the-post contest and is leading in 93 other constituencies, according to The Kathmandu Post.

Balendra Shah, who recently served as the Mayor of Kathmandu, has secured more than 15,000 votes in Jhapa-5, a constituency long considered the stronghold of four-time prime minister and CPN-UML chairman KP Sharma Oli. Oli has received just 3,300 votes so far.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Balendra (Balen) Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has effectively secured victory in Nepal’s Jhapa constituency-5 after opening an unassailable lead over CPN-UML chairman KP Sharma Oli, even before the official result was declared, according to The Himalyan Times.

Of the 106,372 votes cast in the constituency, only 24,254 votes remain to be counted.

Shah currently leads Oli by 38,065 votes, making it mathematically impossible for the CPN-UML leader to overtake him even if all the remaining votes go in his favour.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) president Rabi Lamichhane has won the House of Representatives seat in Chitwan Constituency-2 for the third time, securing a decisive victory, according to The Himalyan Times.

According to results announced on Saturday, Lamichhane received 54,402 votes out of the 87,028 ballots counted.

His closest rival, Nepali Congress candidate Mina Kharel, secured 14,564 votes, trailing Lamichhane by a margin of 39,838 votes.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra “Balen” Shah has taken an unassailable lead over former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in the closely watched contest in Nepal’s southeastern district of Jhapa, according to Election Commission data.

Shah has secured more than 47,500 votes, while Oli is trailing with around 12,600.

With about 70 percent of the votes counted, AFP calculations suggest Shah has already crossed the threshold required for victory.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Vote counting has begun in most constituencies across Nepal, but it is yet to start in Sankhuwasabha, Mugu and Gorkha-1 due to delays in transporting ballot boxes from remote polling centres, according to The Kathmandu Post.

Election officials said ballot boxes from Sankhuwasabha and Gorkha have now been flown to the counting centres by helicopter.

In Mugu, however, ballot boxes from the Dolphu and Mugugaun polling stations are still being carried on foot to the counting centre after attempts to arrange a helicopter failed, Chief Election Officer Min Bahadur Kunwar said.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Govinda Panthi of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has won the Gulmi-2 seat, defeating CPN-UML candidate Gokarna Bista by a narrow margin of 561 votes.

Panthi secured 16,967 votes, while Bista received 16,406 votes, according to the final tally.

Nepali Congress candidate Bhuwan Prasad Shrestha finished third with 14,434 votes, followed by Nepali Communist Party’s Shreeram Mahat, who polled 3,081 votes.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is heading towards a landslide victory in Nepal’s first general elections since the violent Gen Z protests, signalling a dramatic shift away from the country’s entrenched political establishment.

According to Election Commission data at 12.30 pm on Saturday, the RSP has won 34 seats and is leading in another 86 constituencies in the elections held on Thursday.

The party has also swept all 10 constituencies in Kathmandu district, marking one of its strongest performances and underscoring the scale of support for Shah’s political movement.

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Here's how the elections are unfolding:

• The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) continues to dominate Nepal’s first-past-the-post (FPTP) vote count, according to the latest Election Commission tally. RSP has won 32 seats and is leading in 87 constituencies in the 165-member House of Representatives.
• The Nepali Congress has secured six seats and is leading in 10 constituencies, while CPN-UML has won two seats and leads in nine.
• The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) continues to dominate Nepal’s first-past-the-post (FPTP) vote count, according to the latest Election Commission tally. RSP has won 32 seats and is leading in 87 constituencies in the 165-member House of Representatives.
• The Nepali Communist Party has also won two seats and is ahead in seven constituencies.
• Other parties and independents together have won one seat and are leading in eight constituencies.
• In the proportional representation vote count, RSP is also ahead with 46,047 votes out of 84,092 ballots counted so far — about 54.8%.
• The Nepali Congress is second with 14,332 votes, followed by CPN-UML with 8,610 votes. (Source: The Kathmandu Post)

Nepal Election Results 2026 LIVE: Balen Shah can potentially become Nepal’s next prime minister. His Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has emerged as a dominant force, winning 29 seats and leading in 88 constituencies.

If RSP wins a majority of the 275 seats in parliament, or manages to form a coalition with other parties that crosses the majority mark, Shah could be elected prime minister by the House.