The counting of votes for the first general elections in Nepal after last year’s Gen Z protest that toppled KP Oili’s government began on Friday morning. Notably, the polling was held on Thursday, and 60 per cent voter turnout was recorded. Prominent parties contesting the polls are KP Sharma Oli's Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML), Pushpa Kamal Dahal's CPN (Maoist Centre) Sher Bahadur Deuba's Nepali Congress, and the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) led by former rapper and Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah.
As per the latest trends, Shah’s RSP is leading in over 30 seats. The RSP, formed in 2022, has received significant support during the campaign, and Shah is said to be a strong candidate for prime minister. On the other hand, the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) were part of the government toppled by the Gen Z protest last year.
Nepali Congress president Gagan Thapa is the prime ministerial candidate of his party, whereas the CPN (UML) has projected Oli as its PM face.Except for some sporadic minor incidents, the election was reportedly largely peaceful.
Notably, out of the total 275 members of the House of Representatives, 165 will be elected through the first past the post (FPTP) or direct voting system, and 110 members through proportionate voting. Around 3,400 candidates are vying for 165 seats under direct voting, and 3,135 candidates for 110 seats through proportionate voting.
India is closely watching the Nepal election result. On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) congratulated the interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki for successfully conducting the polls.
"We congratulate Prime Minister Sushila Karki, the Government and the people of Nepal as well as various stakeholders for successfully holding these polls which took place against the backdrop of exceptional circumstances last year," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in Delhi.
He said India has "consistently supported peace, progress and stability in Nepal and in keeping with our commitment, provided logistical supplies as per request from Government of Nepal for these elections".
"We look forward to working with the new Government of Nepal to further build on the robust multifaceted ties between our two countries and peoples for mutual benefit," he added.
The Gen Z youth, through their two-day intensified protests on September 8 and 9, ousted Prime Minister Oli, who was heading a coalition government with the backing of the Nepali Congress that enjoyed nearly two-thirds majority support. The youth was protesting against the corruption and generational change in Nepal’s leadership. The protest intensified after the Oli government imposed a blanket ban on social media in the country.
Sumit Sharma is a Deputy News Editor at Times Now with around a decade of experience across print, electronic, and digital media. Previously, he worke...View More
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