Gen Z-Backed Party Leads In Early Trends As Nepal Counts Vote, KP Oli Eyes Political Comeback

Last Updated:March 06, 2026, 09:16 IST

Vote counting is underway in Nepal after a high-stakes parliamentary election held months after the Gen Z-led protests that toppled former PM KP Sharma Oli’s government.

Vote counting was underway across Nepal on Friday following a high-stakes parliamentary election that could determine whether former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli stages a political comeback after being ousted by last year’s youth-led uprising.

Early trends showed the Gen-Z backed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leading in 23 seats, while the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), led by Oli, were ahead in three seats each, according to preliminary figures, news agency PTI reported.

Counting began late Thursday night and is expected to continue through Friday.

The election is Nepal’s first nationwide vote since the September 2025 Gen Z-led protests that forced the resignation of Oli’s government after weeks of unrest.

The demonstrations, initially sparked by a brief social media ban and broader anger over corruption and economic hardship, left at least 77 people dead and triggered sweeping political change.

KP SHARMA OLI SEEKS POLITICAL COMEBACK

At the centre of the political contest is Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader and former Prime Minister, who is attempting a return to power months after being forced from office by mass protests.

The election has been widely framed as a showdown between Nepal’s traditional political establishment and a rising youth-driven movement demanding reform.

One of the most closely watched races is in Jhapa-5, Oli’s traditional stronghold in eastern Nepal, where he is facing a high-profile challenge from Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party.

Shah, the former mayor of Kathmandu, has positioned himself as a symbol of generational change and has drawn strong support from younger voters frustrated with decades of political instability and corruption, AFP reported.

Another major contender in the broader prime-ministerial race is Gagan Thapa, the 49-year-old leader of the Nepali Congress, who has promised to break what he calls the “old age" cycle of veteran leaders dominating the country’s politics.

COUNTING UNDERWAY NATIONWIDE

“Counting has begun in most places in a peaceful manner," Election Commission spokesman Prakash Nyupane said on Friday.

While some early results could emerge later in the day, a full nationwide tally could take several days due to logistical challenges in the Himalayan nation.

Even after results are declared, coalition negotiations could drag on if no party secures an outright majority.

Nepal’s fractured political landscape means that coalition governments are common, and analysts expect prolonged bargaining among parties if the results remain closely divided.

News world Gen Z-Backed Party Leads In Early Trends As Nepal Counts Vote, KP Oli Eyes Political Comeback

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