Vote counting concludes in 39 of 41 local units, NC wins most seats

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec.3: Over 90 per cent results of the by-elections held on Sunday have been made public as of Monday evening.

By the time this report was prepared, results of 39 of the 41 local units where by-elections were held were announced. 

By-elections were held to fill 44 vacant positions across 34 districts in all seven provinces of Nepal and three—two district coordination committee chiefs and one ward chair were elected unopposed while the voting held for 41 positions on Sunday. Vote counting is yet to be completed in two local units, Sarkegad Rural Municipality in Humla and Belaka Municiplaity-9 in Udayapur.

Counting in Belaka-9 has been suspended due to disputes among political parties regarding the counting process.

The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has emerged as the leading party, winning 19 positions, including two district coordination committee chiefs, one mayor and 16 ward chairs. 

The main opposition, CPN (Maoist Centre), follows with nine victories, comprising a deputy mayor, one chair and one vice-chair of rural municipalities, and six ward chairs. The CPN-UML is in third place, securing eight positions, including a rural municipality chair and two vice-chairs. 

Meanwhile, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has claimed victory in one seat, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16. 

The Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) has won two ward chair positions, and one independent candidate has secured a seat as the ward chair of Kankai-6, Jhapa.

Meanwhile, NC candidate Krishna Man Dangol emerged victorious as mayor of Kirtipur Municipality receiving 5,334 votes. His nearest rival Shiv Sharan Maharjan of CPN (Maoist Centre) received 4,555 votes, while CPN-UML candidate Surendra Manandhar received 4,337 votes. Rojina Shrestha of the RSP, elected as the ward chair of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16 with 2,902 votes. 

Her closest rivals, Debendra Pathak of the NC and Laxmi Ratna Maharjan of the CPN-UML, garnered 2,214 and 2,220 votes, respectively. 

In Kirtipur Municipality-1, Ichha Kumar Maharjan of the NC secured a win with 562 votes, defeating his closest competitor from the CPN-UML, who received 498 votes. 

Similarly, in Kirtipur Municipality-4, NC candidate Rajendra Baniya emerged victorious with 742 votes, surpassing independent candidate Pabitra Khadka (495 votes).

Elsewhere, Janga Bahadur Shahi of the CPN-UML has been elected chairperson of Mahabu Rural Municipality in Dailekh, with 3,127 votes. 

Sulochana Kumari Bhandari of the CPN-UML secured the vice-chair position in Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality, Bajura, by winning 1,740 votes against 1,474 for her NC opponent.

Similarly, in Gaurishankar Rural Municipality of Dolakha, CPM-UML candidate Uma Lungeli Magar Sherpa elected as vice chairman, with 2,805 votes. Her closet rival Nim Leki Sherpa of CPN (Maoist Centre) received 2,600 votes. 

The CPN (Maoist Centre) has also made victory, with Debaka Lamichhane winning the deputy mayoral seat in Nalagad Municipality, Jajarkot, securing 4,272 votes, and Namo Narayan Majhi winning the chairpersonship of Gramtham Rural Municipality, Morang, with 6,969 votes. 

In Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality, Narapura Buda of the CPN (Maoist Centre) claimed the chairperson position with 3,627 votes.

The by-elections have highlighted the competitiveness between the ruling parties—NC and CPN-UML- and the main opposition CPN (Maoist Centre).