Kathmandu, March 7 (NationPress) In a remarkable turn of events, rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah has emerged victorious from Jhapa-5 in eastern Nepal during the elections for the House of Representatives, decisively defeating former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli in what many are calling a crucial contest for the future prime ministership.

The election results were overwhelmingly in favor of Shah, the prime ministerial candidate representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who garnered 68,348 votes compared to Oli's 18,734 votes. This significant victory marks the highest number of votes ever recorded in Nepal's parliamentary elections since 1991.

This is not the first time that Oli, who leads the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML), has faced such a defeat in Jhapa. In 2008, he was bested by Maoist candidate Bishwadip Lingden when the Maoists achieved a landslide victory in the Nepal Constituent Assembly elections.

When Shah, a former Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, decided to contest from Jhapa-5—traditionally a stronghold for Oli—many skeptics questioned his choice. However, the electoral wave generated by the RSP has now shattered that skepticism, with the party securing 61 seats and leading in another 61 constituencies out of a total of 165 seats by Saturday evening under the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) electoral system. The RSP is also showing strength under the proportional representation system, and if trends continue, it could achieve a supermajority in the 275-member House of Representatives.

Shah's political journey began just a few years ago, paralleling the rise of his party. Public dissatisfaction with established political organizations—such as the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre)—has grown due to their perceived inefficacy and corruption. Many voters now see Shah and a new generation of leaders as a preferable alternative.

Shah first entered the political arena by winning the mayoral election in Kathmandu in 2022 as an independent candidate. His surprising victory paved the way for other ambitious younger figures, like former media personality Rabi Lamichhane, to establish the RSP within the same year.

Within months of its inception, the RSP emerged as the fourth-largest party in the House of Representatives during the 2022 Nepalese general election. Throughout his term as Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Shah maintained a rebellious and charismatic image, often criticizing the leaders of traditional parties on social media—a tactic that resonated with the nation’s youth.

In September of last year, Nepal experienced the impactful Gen-Z movement that led to the collapse of the government led by Oli, facilitating the formation of the current interim government under Prime Minister Sushila Karki and the dissolution of the House of Representatives.

In the months leading up to the elections held on March 5, Shah and Lamichhane united under the RSP banner, a strategic decision that paid off as the party dominated the parliamentary elections.

Shah is poised to lead the upcoming government with a potential supermajority, which would empower him to execute the party’s agenda, while other political parties are likely to find themselves in a significantly diminished position to pose any serious opposition.