It is officially confirmed that the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) of Nepal swept victory in the elections held on March 5. This has paved the way for the rapper-turned politician Balendra Shah to become the next Prime Minister of Nepal. As per the Election Commission of Nepal, the RSP won 182 seats in the 275-member parliament, making it the largest parliamentary majority any party has achieved in over 60 years.
This was the first election in the country after the mass Gen Z protest that happened in September. There were demonstrations mostly by Gen Z activists over corruption. While the uprising resulted in the resignation of then PM KP Sharma Oli, it also led to the death of 77 people.
Constitutional expert Purna Man Shakya commented after the result that the mandate will give Nepal the much-needed political stability. “If everything goes well, we can expect a stable government for five years,” he told Reuters.
When and how was the RSP formed?
The party is chaired by former TV presenter Rabi Lamichhane. Lamichhane resigned from his position in June 2022, he was then the MD of Galaxy 4K television and publicly announced his plans to contest elections. The Rastriya Swatantra Party was launched on June 21, 2022, and officially registered on July 1, 2022. The party’s symbol is a bell enclosed within a circle.
The biggest hope from this new government is stability; in the past 35 years, Nepal has witnessed 32 changes of government. This has hindered the growth and job creation in the country as investors lost confidence. Sisir Khanal, RSP Lawmaker and senior party leader said, “We are encouraged by the victory and this mandate also places a great responsibility on us.”
This year’s election in Nepal is a big slap in the face of hereditary politics. The Nepali Congress, one of the oldest political parties in Nepal, managed to secure 38 seats. The second-largest party, led by former PM KP Sharma Oli, the Communist Party of Nepal secured just 25 seats.
The rapper-turned politician to head the country
Balendra Shah, also known as Balen, 35 has made history by becoming the youngest PM. He was a well-known personality in underground rapping. He gained a lot of attention on social media after his songs mostly criticizing the political establishment brought him into the limelight. He then contested for mayor of Kathmandu, won, and worked diligently to make the capital a beautiful and peaceful place. He then resigned to contest the general election and is believed to be the top contender for the PM candidate. Throughout the campaign, the RSP focused on combating corruption, creating employment opportunities, and more than doubling Nepal’s $42-billion economy within five years.
Only one controversy around the party is that the leader of the party Rabi Lamichhane is accused of misappropriating funds, however the RSP supremo has denied the accusations and is on bail currently.
