RSP wins two-thirds majority, Balendra Shah set to become Nepal’s youngest PM

Nepal’s 2026 parliamentary elections delivered a historic mandate for the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) , reshaping the Himalayan nation’s political landscape and setting the stage for Balendra “Balen” Shah to become the youngest prime minister in the country’s history . The election outcome also opened a new chapter in bilateral relations between Nepal and India , with both sides signaling strong interest in strengthening ties.

The direct vote count concluded on Monday evening , with the RSP securing a landslide 125 out of 165 first‑past-the-post (FPTP) seats in the House of Representatives , marking one of the most decisive electoral victories in Nepal’s recent democratic history. The Nepali Congress won 18 seats, while the CPN-UML and the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) secured nine and eight seats respectively. Smaller parties, including the Shram Sanskriti Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party , won the remaining seats.

Under the proportional representation (PR) system , vote counting is still underway, but early tallies show the RSP leading by a wide margin. Once finalized, the proportional results are expected to further boost the party’s overall seat tally, potentially giving it a comfortable majority in the 275-member House of Representatives .

Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old former rapper-turned-Kathmandu mayor, clinched a stunning personal victory in the Jhapa-5 constituency by defeating four-time former prime minister K P Sharma Oli by nearly 50,000 votes, symbolising the electorate’s appetite for generational change. Shah is also set to become Nepal’s first Madhesi prime minister , representing increased political inclusion for the historically underrepresented community.

The election has drawn widespread international attention , particularly from Nepal’s close neighbour India . Prime Minister Narendra Modi held telephone conversations with RSP chairman Rabi Lamichhane and Balendra Shah , congratulating them on the party’s resounding FPTP victory and reaffirming India’s commitment to collaborate with Nepal’s incoming government. Modi emphasised that India–Nepal relations would “scale new heights” under the new leadership.

RSP Chairman Lamichhane described a vision of “development diplomacy” to strengthen ties with India, focusing on cross-border connectivity, trade, energy, tourism, and cultural exchange. Analysts note that while Nepal and India share deep historical, cultural, and economic linkages, the RSP’s fresh mandate provides an opportunity for enhanced cooperation and mutually beneficial development initiatives .

With direct vote results now final and proportional results expected in the coming days, Nepal appears poised for a new era under Balendra Shah’s leadership , both domestically and in its engagement with international partners, especially India.