Overview
- Latest counts reported Monday show the Rastriya Swatantra Party has won 124 directly elected seats and leads in one more, positioning it to form the next government as proportional allocations are still pending.
- Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah beat four-time former prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli in Jhapa-5 by 68,348 votes to 18,734, according to the Election Commission.
- The party swept all 10 constituencies in Kathmandu district and posted strong gains across Madhesh province, while chairman Ravi Lamichhane won Chitwan-2 by a wide margin.
- Traditional parties suffered major setbacks, with Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa and multiple CPN-UML office bearers losing to RSP candidates, Election Commission results show.
- Turnout was about 60 percent in the March 5 vote, and India has signalled readiness to work with Nepal’s incoming administration.