Kathmandu — Balen Shah has secured a decisive victory from Jhapa Constituency-5 in Nepal’s parliamentary election, defeating former Prime Minister and UML chairman KP Sharma Oli by a massive margin.

According to the final vote count, Shah received 68,348 votes, while Oli managed 18,734 votes, giving Shah a victory margin of 49,614 votes.

Major Political Upset

Jhapa-5 has long been considered a stronghold of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) and particularly of its chairman KP Sharma Oli. The defeat of such a prominent national figure in his own political base is being viewed as one of the biggest upsets of the election.

Political observers say the result reflects a growing wave of support for alternative leadership and rising dissatisfaction among voters toward traditional political parties.

High-Profile Electoral Battle

The contest between Shah—widely known as the Mayor of Kathmandu—and the veteran communist leader Oli had drawn nationwide attention throughout the campaign. From the early stages of vote counting, Shah maintained a commanding lead that eventually translated into a landslide victory.

Signal of a Changing Political Landscape

Analysts believe this outcome could signal a major shift in Nepal’s political dynamics, with new faces and reform-oriented leadership gaining ground over established political elites.

With this victory, Balen Shah is now set to enter the federal parliament, potentially reshaping the balance of power and influence in the country’s national politics.