KATHMANDU, Nepal, March 6, 2026 (AFP) – Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has taken a commanding lead Friday in early results of the country’s general elections based on local media updates.

The relatively new party has left established parties including the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) and the Nepali Congress (NC) party far behind in early vote counting, leading in poll results in nearly all constituencies.

Of the 35 election constituencies where vote counting has begun, the RSP has 29 seats. CPN is trailing far behind with a lead in just two constituencies, while the NC is leading in four election constituencies.

The Election Commission has yet to officially release poll results.

The RSP has fielded former Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah as its candidate for prime minister.

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Shah, who backed the Gen Z protests that toppled the KP Sharma Oli-led government last year, resigned as mayor to join the RSP.

He was elected mayor of the capital city on an independent ticket, garnering almost double the votes that heavyweights from major political parties secured in the 2022 local elections.

He is contesting the election from the Jhapa-5 constituency.

Early vote counting shows Shah ahead in the poll race with more than double the votes.

The RSP, founded in July 2022 by former television host Rabi Lamichhane, had emerged as the fourth largest party in parliament.

With Lamichhane facing organized crime and money laundering charges, the party reached an agreement to field Shah as its candidate for prime minister.