Jhapa, Nepal — Senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and House of Representatives candidate Balen Shah has achieved a decisive victory in the Jhapa-5 parliamentary constituency, defeating K. P. Sharma Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).
According to the final vote count, Shah secured 68,348 votes, while his closest rival, Oli, received 18,734 votes, resulting in a significant margin of 49,614 votes.
Other candidates in the constituency also trailed far behind. Mandhara Chimoriya of the Nepali Congress garnered 1,821 votes, while Ranjit Tamang of the Nepal Communist Party received 1,461 votes.
Jhapa has long been considered a stronghold of Oli, making Shah’s victory one of the most surprising and talked-about outcomes of the election nationwide. This marks the second time Oli has lost a parliamentary election. Prior to this, he had won six elections from various constituencies in Jhapa.
Oli has been one of Nepal’s most influential political figures for decades. He has previously served twice as the Prime Minister of Nepal and continues to play a major role in national politics as the leader of the UML.
With this victory, Shah has successfully entered parliamentary politics for the first time, beginning his journey in the federal parliament as a member of the House of Representatives.
Shah first gained widespread attention after winning the mayoral election in Kathmandu Metropolitan City as an independent candidate. His popularity, especially among young voters, has been widely credited for his political rise.
Political analysts say Shah’s victory reflects a growing demand for political change and greater youth participation in Nepal’s politics. His win is also being interpreted as a sign of increasing public confidence in independent and alternative political leadership.
