After hours of deliberation, security management, and intra-party discussions, poll officials have begun the counting of votes in the much in-news metropolis.

Officials have begun counting the votes cast in Bharatpur-1.

Incumbent mayor Renu Dahal from CPN-Maoist Centre, backed by the ruling alliance, is vying for a second term in what is expected to be a tight race.

All eyes have now turned to Chitwan as it is one of the biggest electoral battlegrounds.

While Bijay Subedi from CPN-UML is also running for the top city post, making it a battle of prestige for the main opposition, the coalition's bigger 'headache' turned out to be Nepali Congress' veteran leader Jagannath Poudel who filed his own independent candidacy to challenge Dahal.

It is to be remembered that the metropolis had enjoyed its share of controversies and scandals during the 2017 local electioelections.

There are 29 wards in Bharatpur, with over 85,000 voters, of which the voter turnout was around 67 per cent.