KATHMANDU: Nainsingh Mahar has been elected President of the Nepali Congress' student wing, Nepal Students Union.

Mahar defeated his closest rival Manoj Mani Acharya and five other candidates.

The Election Committee informed that Mahat garnered 1,447 votes to win the election.*

The closest rival Acharya was restricted to 1,328 votes.

It has been learned that Mahar was supported by party President Sher Bahadur Deuba and party's Central Working Committee members Pradeep Paudel and Gagan Thapa, who had a strong influence over the NSU cadres.

Acharya, on the other hand, was backed by party's senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel.

Meanwhile, Mahar panel's Kundan Kafle and Saroj Thapa were elected general secretaries. They defeated other candidates for the post including Deepak Bhattarai, Himal Datta Shrestha and Shankar Paudel.

Voting was held to elect the NSU leadership on Wednesday and the counting had begun today.

It had already been nine years since the NSU elected its leader through voting for the last time.

*Updated