KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 18 The 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has elected the party's office-bearers. According to the party's Central Election Commission, Prithvi Subba Gurung secured 1,737 votes, Bishnu Prasad Paudel 1,675, Ram Bahadur Thapa 1,516, Gokarna Raj Bista 1,368, and Raghuji Pant 1,258 votes to be elected as vice-chairpersons of the party. Similarly, Lekhraj Bhatta garnered 1,452 votes, Raghubir Mahaseth 1,368, and Yogesh Bhattarai 1,348 votes to be elected as deputy general secretaries. Mahesh Basnet was elected as the party's secretary with 1,544 votes. Other officials elected to various secretary positions include Padma Kumari Aryal (1,530 votes), Chhabilal Bishwakarma (1,506), Sherdhan Rai (1,503), Hikmat Kumar Karki (1,337), Khagaraj Adhikari (1,331), Yamlal Kandel (1,185), Rajan Bhattarai (1,181), and Bhanubhakta Dhakal (1,108).