Vote counting is ongoing following Nepal’s first national election since youth-led protests in September forced a political reset. Final results for 165 directly elected seats and 110 proportional representation seats are expected by next week, according to the Election Commission Nepal.If current trends hold, Shah —widely known as Balen could capitalise on momentum generated by last year’s protests, transforming grassroots activism and digital mobilisation into a potential governing mandate.

Much of the campaign operation was coordinated from the upper floors of the party’s six-storey headquarters in Kathmandu’s Balaju neighbourhood, according to RSP officials involved in planning the strategy.Six party members who described a tightly structured campaign apparatus combining data analysis, social media outreach and nationwide field operations.The centre of the operation was the Research, Strategy and Documentation Department, run by an 11-member board overseeing about 300 workers across three national teams. These groups worked alongside local campaign teams led by individual candidates across the country.Their responsibilities ranged from crafting electoral messaging and planning rallies to tracking voter feedback from districts across Nepal. Officials said the teams monitored campaign performance on the ground while coordinating online messaging to ensure consistency across regions.

Shah delivered a major campaign speech roughly every eight days, giving party teams time to circulate the content widely across digital platforms before the next event.On the ground, the party organised daily roadshows in five to seven districts and arranged short appearances by Shah in one of Nepal’s seven provinces each day. The visits were designed to maintain national visibility while allowing the candidate to interact directly with voters.“We are overwhelmed by the support and love we received from people on the ground,” said Bigyan Gautam, a member of the party’s national campaign team.Shah’s strong showing contrasts with developments elsewhere in South Asia, where youth-driven political movements have struggled to translate protest momentum into electoral success.In Nepal, however, RSP officials say a combination of digital coordination, diaspora support and targeted outreach helped convert the energy of last year’s protests into a nationwide campaign network that is now reshaping the country’s political landscape.

Polling stations opened across the Himalayan nation as citizens headed to the polls in what is widely seen as a critical political moment following months of unrest and demands for systemic change from younger voters.The election comes after a period of intense political instability triggered by large demonstrations led primarily by young protesters who took to the streets in unprecedented numbers. The protests escalated into violent confrontations that resulted in dozens of deaths and mounting pressure on the government.Those demonstrations eventually forced the country’s then prime minister to step down, setting the stage for a fresh parliamentary vote aimed at restoring political stability.Legacy of youth-led protestsThe protests that erupted months earlier marked one of the most significant youth-driven political movements in Nepal’s recent history. Demonstrators had voiced anger over governance failures and demanded greater accountability from political leaders.The unrest spread across several cities and towns, drawing widespread participation from students and young professionals who said they were frustrated with the country’s political direction.

Authorities confirmed that at least 77 people died during the demonstrations and subsequent clashes, making it one of the deadliest periods of civil unrest in recent years.The political upheaval that followed forced the government to dissolve parliament and call for a general election to establish a new mandate.Voters seek political resetThursday’s vote is expected to determine the composition of a new parliament that will form the next government and chart the country’s political course after months of uncertainty.Many voters say the election represents an opportunity for change after the turmoil that shook the nation.Turnout is being closely watched as a sign of public confidence in the democratic process following the protests and the leadership crisis that followed.

Election officials have deployed security personnel at polling stations across the country to ensure voting proceeds smoothly.The results of the vote are expected to shape Nepal’s political landscape and determine how the new leadership responds to demands for reform that emerged during last year’s protests