Kathmandu: The vote count for the March 5 House of Representatives election is nearing completion, highlighting a significant shift in political dynamics. The election, characterized by the growing influence of the Gen Z movement, saw a remarkable surge in support for the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
According to National News Agency Nepal, the election marked a pivotal moment as numerous candidates under the age of 35 managed to secure victories over established political figures. This influx of young leaders into parliament reflects a broader shift towards rejuvenation and change in the political landscape. In total, 20 candidates under 35 from the RSP emerged victorious in the recent election.
The Nepali Congress, Shram Sanskriti Party, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party each had one young candidate triumph in the election. Among the notable winners was Sobita Gautam, 30, who won from Chitwan-3 with 59,277 votes, defeating Renu Dahal of the Nepali Communist Party by over 20,000 votes. Gautam, a law graduate, was re-elected after previously representing Kathmandu-2.
Sulav Kharel, another prominent under-35 candidate, defeated veteran UML leader Bishnu Paudel in Rupandehi-2, securing 56,550 votes. Kharel, a law graduate, is 26 years old. Similarly, Rubina Acharya of the RSP triumphed over Dr. Shekhar Koirala of the Nepali Congress in Morang-6 with 55,513 votes, leaving her rival with 12,850 votes.
RSP’s Badan Kumar Bhandari from Kavrepalanchowk-2 was elected with 53,344 votes, while his nearest contender Madhu Prasad Acharya of NC garnered 17,868. The 33-year-old Bhandari, an e-commerce entrepreneur and media worker, holds a Bachelor’s degree.
Nisha Dangi, representing RSP from Jhapa-1, secured victory with 45,680 votes against NC candidate Keshab Raj Pandey. Dangi, who was born in Bhadrapur municipality, holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism and was a previous RSP lawmaker.
Other young RSP victors include Manish Khanal, 26, from Nawalpur-2; Bablu Gupta, 28, from Siraha-1; Santosh Rajbanshi, 34, from Morang-4; Shiba Shankar Yadav, 30, from Siraha-2; and Deepak Kumar Shah, 34, from Mahottari-2. Ujjawal Kumar Jha, 33, from Mahottari-3, also secured a win for the RSP.
Sasmit Pokharel, 29, from Kathmandu-5, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and serves as the RSP central member and assistant spokesperson. He has previously worked as Chief Assistant at the Parliament Office.
Prashant Upreti of RSP secured a seat in Makawanpur-2, while Sagar Dhakal, a 34-year-old engineer, won in Gulmi-1. Sushant Baidik emerged victorious in Pyuthan-1, and Ranju Neupane (Darshana), 30, was elected from Kathmandu-1.
Other successful young candidates include Som Sharma, 34, from Baglung-2; Jhabi Lal Dumre, 30, from Syangja-2; Ramji Yadav, 30, from Saptari-2; and KP Khanal, 26, from Kailali-2. Khanal, active in social campaigns for 13 years, has led initiatives like ‘Clean Kasthamandap’ and ‘Kathmandu Trash Collection’.
In addition, Yogesh Gauchan of Nepali Congress won from Mustang-1, and Gyan Bahadur Shahi of Rastriya Prajatantra Party was elected from Jumla-1. Aren Rai, 29, from Shram Sanskriti Party, secured a victory in Khotang-1.