KATHMANDU, MARCH 9
The Gen Z leaders, who led the revolution last September, won the March 5 election, which was scheduled in response to the protest. The election produced several young leaders and is regarded as a turning point in Nepal's modern political history.
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has won a majority of the seats and is on track to win a two-thirds (184 seats) majority in both combined first-past-the-post (FPTP) and proportional representation.
While several Gen Z youth contested elections from other parties, the top Gen Z leaders ran from the RSP and won, defeating candidates from old political parties.
PURUSHOTAM YADAV
Purushotam Yadav, 27, is the Gen Z leader who obtained official permission from Kathmandu's District Administration Office to hold the protest on September 8. He has been included in RSP's PR list. Given that the RSP garnered more PR votes than any other party, the current situation ensures his seat in the parliament.
Speaking with THT, Yadav stated that he knew from the start that this election would alter Nepal's political trajectory. "For four years, I researched the ground, the data, and public opinion. When we decided to include Balen in the movement, we knew the momentum in Madhes would be unstoppable - we were confident we'd win all 32 seats," he said.
The RSP has won 30 of Madhes province's 32 constituencies. "The old parties were determined to destroy this new force, making this election crucial for us. However, the people remained committed to change," he added. "Even Rabi Lamichhane demonstrated statesmanship by accepting Balen as a strong and capable leader and him as prime minister. With the people's mandate, we will honour the sacrifices of the Gen Z martyrs while also establishing a political future for youth in Nepal."
SUDHAN GURUNG
Sudhan Gurung of the RSP won the House of Representatives seat from Gorkha Constituency-1 in Gandaki Province with 29,896 votes, almost doubling his nearest competitor.
Gurung, 38, defeated the Nepali Congress candidate by 14,498 votes in a constituency known for fierce competition among established parties.
Gurung is a prominent activist who played a pivotal role in the Gen Z movement, the formation of the interim government, and the appointment of Sushila Karki as the interim prime minister.
After the Gen Z protests, he played a critical role in dialogue with the Chief of the Army, the President, and other stakeholders in the formation of the government. After the election was announced, he worked on bringing alternative forces together who would endorse Gen Z mandates, including various political parties and civil society groups that aligned with the movement's goals. Sudan and Purushotam also played a critical role in bringing RSP and Balen together, facilitating discussions that aimed to unify their political agendas and strengthen support for Gen Z mandates. Balen is the projected future prime minister from RSP.
KP KHANAL
KP Khanal, 26, is another Gen Z leader who won the Kailali constituency-2 by 19,057 votes in the March 5 elections. Khanal of the RSP won, while his closest competitor, Patiram Chaudhary of the Nagarik Unmukti Party Nepal, received 11,949 votes, and Surya Bahadur Thapa of the CPN-UML received 7,886.
Khanal led the protests on September 8 from the front. He has a long history of environmental work and activism. He also runs a popular cafe in Kathmandu. He is originally from Sudurpaschim. He is also famous as the youngest social activist in Nepal, known for his innovative approaches to community engagement and advocacy for youth rights.
He joined RSP after the Gen Z revolution on Balen's side and secured victory by contesting in the March 5 polls from Kailali constituency-2.
He is also a central committee member of the RSP. He was appointed a central committee member from the Balen side following an agreement between RSP and Balen, which aimed to strengthen their coalition and enhance representation for younger voters.
BABLU GUPTA
Bablu Gupta, a Gen Z leader and RSP candidate, won the House of Representatives election from Siraha Constituency-1 by a significant margin. Gupta defeated Nepali Congress candidate Ramsundar Chaudhary by a margin of over 31,000 votes. Gupta received 41,322 votes, while his closest competitor, Nepali Congress candidate Chaudhary, received 9,784.
Following the Gen Z protest, he was appointed as the youth and sports minister in the interim cabinet led by the first female prime minister of Nepal, Sushila Karki. He also served as the youngest minister in the history of Nepal at the age of just 28. He resigned from his position as the minister for youth and sport on January 19, 2026, to file his candidacy for the March 5 elections. He is currently busy campaigning for his election.
MANISH KHANAL
At just 26, Manish Khanal won a seat in the House of Representatives from the Nawalpur (Nawalparasi East, also called Bardaghat–Susta East) Constituency-2. He secured his election with a total of 41,347 votes. His closest competitor, Tilak Mahat from the CPN-UML, garnered 15,755 votes.
Before jumping into the election, he was with a group called Gen Z Front. The Gen Front is one of the groups led by Gen Z leaders, who were involved in the Gen Z protest last September.
Khanal possesses a BALLB degree and is presently pursuing a master's programme at the Central Department of Political Science.
SHIV SHANKAR YADAV
Gen Z leader Shiv Yadav, who finished fifth in the previous 2022 election as a House of Representatives candidate for the 'Hamro Nepali Party', won the Siraha constituency-2 in the March 5 election which was held following the Gen Z movement. He led the September 8 uprising from his side too. Yadav, 30, has been elected from the RSP. He is also one of the popular Gen Z leaders.
Additionally, he has been actively involved in the movement for a long time, advocating for social justice that resonates with younger voters.
While Yadav received 39,561 votes, Congress candidate Ramchandra Yadav received 12,814 votes. They have a 26,247-vote difference. Naveen Kumar Yadav of the CPN-UML received 6,713 votes.