Election results begin pouring in

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, May 15: Results of the local level elections held on Friday have started pouring in.  However, as the vote counting is time consuming, final results of only 15 rural municipalities having small number of voters were made public as of Saturday night.

 As of 9:30 pm, Nepali Congress, the biggest party of the ruling alliance, won the post of chairpersons in six rural municipalities. Likewise, the CPN-UML also won six posts of chairperson and the CPN (Maoist Centre) one.  Similarly, the CPN (Unified Socialist) has secured victory in two local bodies.

The rural municipalities where the final results were made public are from four districts—Manang and Mustang of Gandaki Province, Dolpa of Karnali and Dadeldhura of Sudurpaschim Province. In other local levels, only the results of a few ward chairs and members were made public. 

The initial results went in favour of the ruling alliance as more candidates of the ruling alliance are leading in majority of the local levels including the metropolitan cities. However, in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, independent mayoral candidate Balen Shah was leading the vote count by the time this news story was filed.

Meanwhile, RSS adds: Independent candidate Narendra Kumar Basnet won ward chair seat in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-1 in Rupandehi district. He obtained 636 votes. 

Likewise, NC’s mayoral candidate Khelraj Pandey is leading the vote count in Butwal. Of the total 1,974 votes counted so far, he has obtained 843 votes followed by Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s Mrigendra Kumar Sherchan’s 414 votes. Similarly, UML’s Baburam Bhattarai has secured 340 votes. 

Janata Samajwadi Party’s ward chair candidate Udaya Raj Gaderiya won in Suddhodhan Rural Municipality-1. He secured 992 votes against 991 votes obtained by his closest contender from the NC.

Similarly, CPN (UML) candidates have emerged victorious to the key posts of Lomanthang Rural Municipality in Mustang. 

UML candidate Tarsinarbu Gurung obtained 668 votes to secure his victory to the post of chair. Likewise, Chhyumi Bista of the same party became vice-chair securing 622 votes, informed the Election Officer. 

Vote count results of all local levels of Mustang excluding Thasang have been made public. UML has won in Lomanthang, Lodhekar Damodarjkunda and Baragung Mukti Chhetra while Nepali Congress has clinched the leadership position of Gharpajhong Rural Municipality. 

NC also won the post of chairman of Ganyapadhura Rural Municipality in Dadeldhura. Ganyapadhura is the 

home village of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.  

Dhan Bahadur Gurung of the Nepali Congress has been elected to the post of chairperson of Naso Rural Municipality in Manang district. He gathered 820 votes while his closest rival Man Bahadur Gurung of the CPN (UML) got 676 votes.

Similarly, Bed Bahadur Gurung of the CPN (Maoist Centre) from the alliance was elected vice-chair of the rural municipality receiving 902 votes.

Kanchha Ghale of CPN (UML) has been elected to the post of chairperson of Nesyang Rural Municipality in Manang district. He got 861 votes.

Likewise, as two candidates for ward chair got equal votes in Rolpa Municipality Ward No. 2, the final result was released after a lucky draw.

The result was announced through the lucky draw as ward chair candidates from CPN (Maoist Centre) Prakash Dangi and Deuchan Ghartimagar from the Nepali Congress (NC) got equal 543 votes.

In lucky draw, Maoist Centre’s Dangi emerged victorious. Narasi Rokaya of CPN (Maoist Centre) has been elected the chairperson of Jagadulla Rural Municipality in Dolpa district.Narasi got 622 votes to secure the win defeating his closest rival Hem Bahadur Mahatara of CPN (UML) by a margin of 37 votes. Similarly, CPN (Maoist Centre)’s Amrita Lama Bohara was elected to the post of vice-chairperson with 759 votes. 

As per the update provided by the assistant election officer of office of election officer, Kathmandu, Prem Prasad Poudel, independent mayoral candidate of KMC Balendra Shah was leading the race with 402 votes. Similarly, Keshav Sthapit of the CPN-UML  got 319 votes and Nepali Congress candidate Srijana Singh  202 votes.