The Rastriya Swatantra Party, founded just four years ago and led by the 35-year-old Shah, is riding a wave of youth-driven activism that toppled the previous government only five months ago. By mid-afternoon local time on Friday, the PRS led the vote count in 97 constituencies by overwhelming margins, suggesting that Shah could secure the 138 seats needed for an outright parliamentary majority in Nepal’s 275-seat legislature. Of these, 165 seats are filled by simple-majority voting in individual constituencies, while 110 are assigned via proportional representation.
Official results remain limited, with only two constituencies formally declared: Kathmandu-1 in favor of the PRS and Mustang-1 for the Nepal Congress. Election authorities expect to announce full results over the weekend. Nevertheless, the emerging trend points to a decisive shift away from Nepal’s traditional political elites.
The recent elections follow mass protests led by Nepal’s Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, which forced the resignation of former Prime Minister Khagda Prasad Sharma Oli last September. The unrest began after a government ban on social media, sparking clashes between demonstrators and security forces that ultimately toppled Oli’s administration. Young voters have now translated that activism into electoral power, using the ballot box to reshape the political landscape.
In key constituencies like Jhapa-5, near the Indian border, the PRS has routed historic parties. Shah’s main rival, 74-year-old former Prime Minister Oli of the Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), is trailing by a wide margin in his own stronghold. The Nepal Congress leads in only ten constituencies so far, while the CPN-UML and the Maoist Center each head nine districts. Analysts describe the results as an unprecedented repudiation of the old political order.
“Scenarios suggest a comfortable victory for the PRS. The advantage in nearly all constituencies is so enormous that no one expected such a margin,” said independent election observer Ujjwal Prajapati in comments to El País.
The likely triumph of Shah represents a turning point for Nepal, a nation of 30 million strategically situated between China and India. The country has long struggled with political instability, high youth unemployment, and endemic corruption, which have stifled economic growth. Shah’s outsider candidacy, blending celebrity and grassroots appeal, has tapped into widespread public frustration, especially among younger voters eager to see new faces in government.
Shah’s rise underscores a generational shift in Nepali politics, where the energy and influence of young citizens—energized by recent protests—are transforming the country’s governance. If confirmed, this election will mark not just a personal victory for a former rapper turned politician, but a profound realignment in Nepal’s political trajectory, demonstrating the power of civic engagement to displace entrenched elites and reshape the nation’s future.
