The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) on Thursday unanimously selected senior leader Balendra Shah as its parliamentary party leader, officially paving the way for his appointment as the next prime minister of the country.

The decision was finalised during a central committee meeting held at the party’s headquarters in Banasthali, shortly after newly elected lawmakers attended their oath-taking ceremony at Singha Durbar.

Party chair Rabi Lamichhane proposed Shah’s name for the post, which received unanimous endorsement from the committee.

Following the internal decision, a meeting of the parliamentary party formally ratified the leadership arrangement. Under Article 76 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal, the President appoints the leader of the party holding a majority in the House of Representatives as the prime minister.

The RSP emerged as the largest party in the general elections held on March 5, securing a commanding position with nearly a two-thirds majority. With the party holding a clear mandate, the President is scheduled to appoint Shah and administer the oath of office and secrecy this Friday.

Earlier in the day, Arjun Narsingh KC, the senior-most member of the lower house, administered the oath of office to all newly elected lawmakers at the multipurpose hall of the parliament building in Singha Durbar.

Shah, who was previously declared the party’s prime ministerial candidate for the recent elections, will now lead the Council of Ministers as the RSP prepares to form the first majority government under the current federal setup.