Nepal's Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair and Kathmandu Mayor Form Election Alliance Following Youth Protests
On December 28, 2025, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane and Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah announced an alliance ahead of the March 5, 2026 election. Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician known for his role in forming the interim government after Prime Minister Oli's ousting, will serve as the alliance's prime minister candidate, while Lamichhane will remain party chair.
This pact follows a deadly youth-led protest on September 8-9, 2025, which resulted in at least 77 fatalities and the government's removal. The protests were sparked by a brief government ban on social media, compounded by long-standing economic stagnation and allegations of corruption. Leaders of the new alliance stated their goal is to address the demands of Nepal's younger generation and move beyond entrenched elderly leadership.
Rabi Lamichhane, who founded the RSP in 2022, has previously served as deputy prime minister and interior minister. He was recently released on bail in a case involving cooperative fraud and organized crime.
In response to the uprising, interim head Sushila Karki held meetings with political leaders Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and KP Sharma Oli — the first such consultations since the unrest. Karki pledged to ensure free and transparent elections conducted in a free and fear-free environment.
