The recent political changes in Nepal have shaken up long-standing political strongholds. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RASWA) has won big in several constituencies, with margins of more than 50,000 votes. These results show not only individual wins, but also how much the people trust this new political party.
Former journalist Ravi Lamichhane started RASWA on Ashad 7, 2079 (June 21, 2022). In just five months, the party became the fourth largest in the 2079 general elections, which got a lot of attention. Over the next four years, RASWA not only earned the trust of local voters, but it also showed that it could become a major political force in the country.
Top Candidates Surging Past 50,000 Votes
| S.N. | Candidate Name | Constituency | Votes Received | Main Opponent | Opponent Votes | Approx. Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balendra Shah (Balen) | Jhapa 5 | 68,348 | KP Sharma Oli (UML) | 18,734 | 49,614 |
| 2 | Indira Ranamagar | Jhapa 2 | 60,110 | Devaraj Ghimire (UML) | 11,368 | 48,742 |
| 3 | Sovita Gautam | Chitwan 3 | 59,277 | Renu Dahal (Maoist) | 20,615 | 38,662 |
| 4 | Dr. Lekhjung Thapa | Rupandehi 3 | 58,814 | Sushil Gurung (Congress) | 8,435 | 50,379 |
| 5 | Hari Dhakal | Chitwan 1 | 58,208 | Rajendra Prasad Burlakoti (Congress) | 13,033 | 45,175 |
| 6 | Sulabh Kharel | Rupandehi 2 | 56,550 | Vishnu Prasad Paudel (UML) | 12,861 | 43,869 |
| 7 | Rubina Acharya | Morang 6 | 55,513 | Dr. Shekhar Koirala (Congress) | 12,850 | 42,663 |
| 8 | Sunil Lamsal | Rupandehi 1 | 54,845 | Hirabahadur Khatri (Congress) | 12,447 | 42,398 |
| 9 | Ravi Lamichhane | Chitwan 2 | 54,402 | Minakumari Kharel (Congress) | 14,564 | 39,838 |
| 10 | Badan Kumar Bhandari | Kavre 2 | 53,344 | Madhup Prasad Acharya (Congress) | 17,868 | 35,476 |
| 11 | Rajan Gautam | Nawalpur 1 | 50,945 | Balakrishna Ghimire (Congress) | 16,293 | 34,652 |
Note: In Jhapa-5, Balendra Shah beat former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli by almost 50,000 votes, which is the biggest "upset" of the election.
The Main Reasons Why This Miracle Happened
- Balen–Ravi Equation: Balendra Shah's popularity as mayor of Kathmandu and Ravi Lamichhane's media presence and delivery made the party very popular with the public.
- Gen Z and Youth Rebellion: Young people who didn't like the old "musical chair" politics spoke out on social media and in the streets, which led to votes.
- New Agenda: A strong stand against corruption, a promise to good governance, and a debate over a directly elected executive got a lot of public support.
- Madhesh–Hills Unity: Balendra Shah helped RASWA win even in the Terai-Madhesh region by calling himself both "the son of Madhesh" and "the pride of Nepal."
This result makes it clear that the old way of doing things in Nepalese politics is no longer possible. Winning by more than 50,000 votes does not just give RASWA a "license to govern"; it also gives the party the duty to get things done without making excuses. RASWA will face both challenges and opportunities in the next five years.
