RAPPER-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s newly-formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was on Friday heading towards a landslide victory in Nepal’s first general elections since the violent Gen Z protests toppled the K P Sharma Oli-led Government in September. According to the Election Commission’s data available from 161 of the total 165 constituencies, the RSP has won four seats and is ahead in 110 others, local media reported. The Nepali Congress has won two seats and is leading in 12 others, while the CPN-UML is leading in 10 constituencies. The Nepali Communist Party has won one and is leading in six constituencies. The outcome is expected to provide a strong government in the politically fragile Nepal, which has had 14 governments in the last 18 years.

 

The election was being closely watched by India, which hopes for a stable government in the politically fragile Himalayan nation to take forward the developmental partnership between the two sides. “We look forward to working with the new Government of Nepal to further build on the robust multifaceted ties between our two countries and peoples for mutual benefit,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in Delhi on Thursday. He said India has “consistently supported peace, progress and stability in Nepal and in keeping with our commitment, provided logistical supplies as per request from Government of Nepal for these elections”. Balendra Shah, who was the Mayor of Kathmandu till recently, is leading in Jhapa-5 constituency against four-time Prime Minister and CPN-UML chair Oli in the latter’s stronghold. Shah, popularly known as Balen, received 6,551 votes, while Oli got just 1,428 votes.