Counting of votes is still on in the second round of civic elections, three days after polling took place in provinces 1,5 and seven. Results have already been announced for 167 of the 334 local bodies where polling was conducted on Wednesday. According to the Election Commission, voter turnout was more than 70 percent nationally. While social media has been flooded with Images of local people celebrating wins for their party, media outlets are providing up-to-the-minute news on key races across the country, including the contest for mayor of Biratnagar, the only metropolitan city that went went to polls on Wednesday.
Here we look at five key messages the election results have sent to political parties nationally:
1.
UML maintains its grip on eastern hills
The UML has performed better than other political parties in Province 1. As of Sunday morning, the party has won 137 mayor/chairperson races in the province. Similarly 134 UML candidates have been elected deputies.
2.
Maoists are a big force in Province 5
Despite the grievances of the local people over the failure of the Maoist party to address the aspirations of the insurgency, the Maoist Centre has performed well in the heartland of the insurgency in the hills of Province. Although the party is distant third nationally, it is in dead heat with the Nepali Congress and the UML in Province 5 thanks to its loyal supporters in the hills. It has won 87 mayor/ chairperson races and 95 contests for post of deputy.
3.
UML shows strong presence in Province 7
The Nepali Congress had been considered the major force in Province 7, especially with the presence of Congress chief and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in power at the centre. However, the UML is giving a close fight to the Nepali Congress. As of Saturday night, 50 per cent of the results have already ben announced and the Nepali Congress holds on to a slender lead by a handful of seats.
4.
RJP-backed independent candidates perform badly
Independent candidates, especially in Province 5, backed by the RJP, which has boycotted elections have failed to show their presence. Candidates backed by the party have neither won any race for mayor/chairperson, nor are they in the lead in any civic body.
5.
Major cities towns in favour of Congress/ UML
While the Maoists have shown considerable prowess in rural areas, it’s a race between the Nepali Congress and the UML in most of the major towns that went to polls in the second round of elections, except for Nepalgunj where the RPP is poised to win by a wide margin. While the UML maintains its lead in Itahari, Tulsipur, Butwal, Dharan the Nepali Congress leads the race for mayor in Biratnagar, Dhangadhi and Ghorahi. The newly formed Bibeksheel Nepali Party, which put up a formidable challenge in Kathmandu, and the Sajha Party have performed poorly.
