Kathmandu, March 12 (NationPress) The former Prime Minister of Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli, has publicly acknowledged the people's decision with utmost respect following the significant electoral defeats experienced by him and his party during the House of Representatives elections held on March 5.

Oli, who leads the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) or CPN (UML), faced a stunning defeat against Balen Shah, the prime ministerial nominee of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), in the Jhapa-5 constituency located in eastern Nepal, a region historically dominated by the UML. This outcome was deemed unimaginable by many political observers.

Shah, previously the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, triumphed over Oli with an astonishing 68,348 votes, marking the highest vote count ever recorded by a candidate in Nepal's parliamentary history. In contrast, the former Prime Minister garnered only 18,734 votes, resulting in a devastating loss to the newcomer.

Moreover, his party could only secure nine seats out of the 165 available under the First Past the Post (FPTP) system within the 275-member House of Representatives. The remaining seats are allocated through the proportional representation electoral system, totaling 110 seats.

The relatively young RSP, steered by President Rabi Lamichhane and prime ministerial candidate Shah, claimed victory in 125 seats under the FPTP system. The party has also significantly led in vote share under the proportional representation system as traditional political parties like the CPN (UML), Nepali Congress, and the Nepali Communist Party faced severe setbacks.

“The results of this election did not meet my expectations, nor did they reflect what our party hoped to achieve,” former Prime Minister Oli shared in a Facebook post.

“In a democracy, the ultimate decision belongs to the populace, and it is my responsibility, as well as that of my party, to honor that decision. I wholeheartedly accept the people's mandate.”

He acknowledged that the election results were not favorable for his party, stating, “Nevertheless, our dedication and commitment to serving the public remain steadfast.”

Oli expressed that despite the challenging circumstances facing his party, it would continue to engage with the public, striving to strengthen the “trust relationship” with them.

In light of this devastating electoral defeat, numerous videos have surfaced on social media showcasing the former Prime Minister Oli belittling the RSP and its leader Shah, which have drawn ridicule from users.

Key leaders from established political parties, including Oli, faced humiliating losses in the elections, reflecting the growing public discontent towards them. These leaders have been embroiled in persistent power struggles, forming and dissolving governments over recent years, while allegations of corruption against some senior figures further deteriorated the electoral climate.

In September of the previous year, an anti-corruption Gen Z movement led to the collapse of the Oli-led coalition government, resulting in the loss of 77 lives and damages to public and private property estimated at over NPR 84 billion, according to government reports.

Subsequently, an interim government headed by Sushila Karki was established, which conducted elections on March 5 this year, paving the way for the RSP to ascend to power.