KATHMANDU, Nepal

Former Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah was sworn in as Nepal’s youngest prime minister on Friday after his party won a landslide victory in the first parliamentary election since massive protests last year that ousted the government and led to an interim administration.

Nepalese President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath to Shah, popularly known as Balen, who wore traditional Nepali attire -- daura suruwal and topi.

Shah, 35, was elected under the banner of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which secured 182 of 275 seats in parliament, defeating established political parties.

After the ceremony, Shah formed a 15-member Cabinet and headed to his office in Singha Durbar, the government complex that houses most ministries and was damaged during the protests. The buildings have since been repaired.

Swarnim Wagle, an economist, was named finance minister, while Shishir Khanal was appointed foreign minister. Sudhan Gurung, who took part in the protests that ousted then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli last September, was named home minister.​​​​​​​

Inquiry report to be implemented

In his first Cabinet meeting, Balen decided to implement the report of a high-level inquiry commission formed to investigate last September’s protests, during which 77 people, including security personnel, were killed.

“Recommendations made by the committee will be implemented, whereas a study committee will be formed in case of security agencies,” government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel told reporters after the meeting.

The commission headed by former special court Chairman Gauri Bahadur Karki recommended an investigation into Oli, former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and security officials for their criminal negligence in the deaths of protesters.

Messages from India, China

Soon after his, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the new Balen government.

“I look forward to working closely with you to take India-Nepal friendship and cooperation to even greater heights for the mutual benefits of our peoples," Modi wrote on the US social media company X.

The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu also conveyed a congratulatory message.

China "stands ready to work with Nepal’s new government to further strengthen traditional friendship and practical cooperation,” the embassy wrote on X.

Election landslide

Shah was elected RSP parliamentary party leader under a deal reached before he formally joined the party. He resigned as mayor of Kathmandu before completing his five-year term to enter national politics.

Under the agreement, the RSP -- founded by TV journalist-turned-politician Rabi Lamichhane ahead of the 2022 parliamentary election -- backed Shah as its prime ministerial candidate while ranking him second in the party hierarchy.

While Lamichhane remains the party leader, Shah will be responsible for government affairs.

Shah defeated ousted Oli by a wide margin in Oli’s home constituency in Jhapa, eastern Nepal.