RSP heads for clean sweep in Nepal parliamentary polls after Gen Z unrest

Kathmandu [Nepal], March 6 : The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is emerging as the frontrunner in Nepal's House of Representatives elections held on March 5, riding on a surge in popularity following the Gen Z-led movement in September, The Himalayan Times reported.
According to The Himalayan Times, preliminary vote counts indicate that the party is leading in multiple constituencies across all seven provinces, with early results showing RSP ahead in at least 44 seats.
In Jhapa-5, Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, is leading against former prime minister KP Sharma Oli, who is the president of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist). Oli resigned from the position of the Prime Minister of the Himalayan nation last year, following the Gen Z unrest in September.
As per the District Election Office, Shah had secured 6,090 votes while Oli had received 2,087 votes as of 10 am (local time), The Himalayan Times reported.
Meanwhile, RSP chief Rabi Lamichhane is leading in Chitwan-2. In Chitwan-3, RSP candidate Sobita Gautam is ahead of Renu Dahal, daughter of former prime minister PK Dahal.
The RSP has also reported that Indira Rana Magar is leading in Jhapa Constituency-2 with 1,599 votes, compared to 275 votes for Devraj Ghimire of the CPN-UML.
In the Kathmandu Valley, RSP candidates are leading across constituencies. In Kathmandu-1, Ranju Neupane (also known as Ranju Darshana) has crossed 12,000 votes and is on track for a historic victory.
In Kathmandu-5, RSP's Sasmit Pokharel is leading with 5,985 votes against 1,840 votes secured by Pradip Paudel of the Nepali Congress.
According to Election Officer Chapala Pokhrel, RSP candidate Shishir Khanal is leading in Kathmandu-6 with 5,771 votes. Nepali Congress candidate Krishna Baniya has secured 1,310 votes, while Aman Kumar Maskey of CPN-UML has received 1,086 votes, The Himalayan Times reported.
In Kathmandu-7, RSP's Ganesh Parajuli is ahead with 4,677 votes, according to Election Officer Sabita Sharma. CPN-UML candidate Prakash Shrestha has received 904 votes, while Pramodhari Guragain of Nepali Congress has secured 720 votes.
Preliminary results from Kathmandu-8 show RSP candidate Biraj Bhakta Shrestha leading with 7,617 votes. Suman Sayami of the Nepal Communist Party has secured 938 votes, while Sapana Rajbhandari of Nepali Congress has received 893 votes, according to Election Officer Samjhana Khanal.
In Kathmandu-10, RSP's Pradip Bista is leading with 5,765 votes, while Himal Karki of Nepali Congress has secured 1,078 votes. Balaram Thapa of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has received 953 votes.
According to the latest updates from the District Election Office, the RSP is also leading in both constituencies of Bhaktapur.
In Bhaktapur-1, RSP candidate Rukesh Ranjit has secured 3,452 votes, ahead of Prem Suwal of the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party with 1,982 votes and Kiran Neupane of Nepali Congress with 519 votes.
Similarly, in Bhaktapur-2, RSP's Rajiv Khatri is leading with 3,060 votes. CPN-UML candidate Mahesh Basnet has received 1,573 votes, while Kabir Rana of Nepali Congress has secured 484 votes, as reported by The Himalayan Times.