KATHMANDU, March 6: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has emerged as the dominant force in the early vote-counting trends of Nepal’s House of Representatives (HoR) elections, signalling a potential shift in the country’s political landscape as voters appear to favour new leadership over established parties.
As of 10:30 PM on Friday, RSP candidates were leading in 108 constituencies across the country, with five candidates already declared elected, according to preliminary results released by the Election Commission of Nepal.
Traditional political heavyweights—the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML —are trailing significantly in the early trends. The NC is leading in 14 constituencies, with three confirmed victories, while the UML is ahead in 11 constituencies but has yet to secure a declared win.
UML top leaders trailing behind RSP candidates in early vote co...
The Nepali Communist Party (NCP), meanwhile, is leading in nine constituencies, with one confirmed victory.
Among the early winners from the RSP, Ranju Darshana secured victory from Kathmandu-1, becoming the first candidate to be declared elected. Other RSP victories include Raju Pandey from Kathmandu-3, Sasmit Pokharel from Kathmandu-5, Shishir Khanal from Kathmandu-6, and Biraj Bhakta Shrestha from Kathmandu-8.
The NC has registered wins in three constituencies, with Tek Bahadur Gurung elected from Manang, Yogesh Gauchan Thakali from Mustang, and Mohan Acharya from Rasuwa.
From the NCP, party coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal has secured victory in Rukum (East).
EC officials say the vote counting under the First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system will be complete by Saturday evening. Although tote counting is still underway in the remaining constituencies, early trends indicate intense competition involving several prominent political leaders.
CPN-UML Chairman K P Sharma Oli is trailing behind RSP senior leader Balendra Shah in Jhapa-5, while NC President Gagan Thapa is behind RSP’s Amaresh Kumar Singh in another closely watched race. Similarly, UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel is trailing RSP candidate Bipin Acharya in Dang-2 as counting continues.
Preliminary results suggest a strong nationwide surge in favour of the RSP, particularly in urban centres and among younger voters. Observers say the early trends reflect a broader demand for political change and dissatisfaction with the governance record of traditional parties.
If the current trends continue, analysts say the RSP could potentially emerge as the largest party in Parliament, with a possibility of securing a single majority, an outcome that would dramatically reshape Nepal’s political landscape.
