Kathmandu, December 2
Results of the by-elections held for 52 positions at local, provincial and federal levels have been out by Monday morning. Overall, the ruling Nepal Communist Party won 30 positions whereas the main opposition Nepali Congress won 13 positions.
In comparison to the seats won in the 2017 elections, the NCP lost two key seats–the Provincial Assembly member in Bhaktapur 1(A) and the mayor of Dharan sub-metropolitan city. The opposition party also lost the leadership in two rural municipalities but snatched the two key positions from the ruling party.
The NCP retained the House of Representatives seat in Kaski-2 and the Provincial Assembly seat in Dang 3(B). However, it lost the previously won Provincial Assembly seat of Bhaktapur 1(A). With the NCP’s support, Rastriya Janamorcha retained the Provincial Assembly seat in Baglung 2(B).
The NCP could not retain the mayoral leadership in Dharan city as the Nepali Congress candidate Tilak Rai defeated the NCP’s Prakash Rai. However, it won the leadership positions in Phalgunanda rural municipality in Panchthar, Kharpunath rural municipality (vice-chair) in Humla and Pipara rural municipality in Mahottari. The first two of these positions were won by Nepali Congress in 2017 whereas the third by the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal.
Elections were held for chairpersons of 43 wards. The NCP won 24 of such positions, adding seven new ones but losing six others. Likewise, the Congress won 11 ward leadership positions, adding five new wards and losing seven.
Socialist Party won four ward chair positions whereas the RJPN three. In these elections, the Socialist Party gained one ward whereas the RJPN lost a rural municipality leadership.
