KATHMANDU, APRIL 29

Daman Bahadur Bhandari, a CPN-UML candidate, has been elected to the Sudurpaschim Provincial Assembly from Bajhang 1 (A), while Suhang Nembang has taken lead in Ilam-2 with over 4,683 votes.

According to the Election Commission, UML's Bhandari received 11,613 votes, defeating NC's Abhishek Bahadur Singh by 266. Singh garnered 11,346 votes. CPN-MC's Janak Bahadur Budha received 3,831 votes, while Dil Bahadur Singh of the CPN (US) received 2,514 votes.

The by-election for the provincial assembly seat featured up to 11 candidates.

The Bajhang-1 (A) byelection was held for a seat in the Sudurpaschim Assembly that has been vacant since Prithvi Bahadur Singh, a member and provincial minister, died in a road accident in June of last year.

On the other hand, Suhang Nembang has widened the lead in Ilam-2 after the vote count began in both Ilam-2, following high-voltage by-poll.

Initially, the Nepali Congress led the polls, but the CPN-UML now leads the Ilam-2 federal constituency as of 2:45 p.m. vote count, according to Election Commission.

Suhang Nembang of the CPN-UML led the Ilam-2 vote count at 2:45 p.m. with 13,069 votes, followed by Dambar Khadka of the Nepali Congress with 8,386 votes. Dakendra Singh Limbu, an independent candidate, is in third place with 8,098 votes.

The constituency received approximately 60% of the votes cast in the by-election held on Saturday. In Ilam-2, 115,889 people were eligible to vote, but only about 69,287 people exercised their adult franchise rights enshrined fundamentally in the constitution.

The Ilam-2 by-elections saw up to 19 candidates compete. Nineteen candidates, including 12 from political parties and seven independents, are in the fray for the by-election.

During the 2022 federal election, UML's Subas Nembang defeated Khadka by 114 votes. The CPN-MC previously supported Congress candidate Khadka, but it has now formed an alliance with the UML and supported UML.

The Ilam-2 Lower House seat has been vacant since Subas Nembang died of a heart attack in September of last year. Since the 1999 general elections, the UML leader has won the constituency in consecutive terms.

Suhang, the youngest son of former Speaker Subas Nembang, was chosen as the CPN-UML's candidate in the Ilam-2 constituency after his father's demise.