Left alliance emerges dominant force in hilly districts of Province 1

Phidim, December 9

The left alliance has emerged as a dominant force in provincial and parliamentary polls in eastern hilly districts of Province 1.

While left alliance candidates have won all parliamentary seats in Panchthar and Taplejung, candidates of the left alliance are leading vote count in Ilam and Terathum districts.

UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai and UML Basanta Kumar Nembang won the parliamentary seats in Taplejung and Panchthar respectively. Similarly, Bhawani Khapung in Terhathum, Jhalanath Khanal and Subash Chandra Nembang in Ilam are leading vote counting for parliamentary seats.

Left alliance candidates have clinched victory in provincial polls in Panchthar. UML’s Bal Bahadur Samsohang and CPN-MC’s Tanka Angbuhang have won the election in constituencies- Ka and Kha of the district. UML Bhattarai won the election garnering 29,479 ballots against his closest rival NC’s Keshav Prasad Dahal who obtained 16,888 votes.

Left alliance candidate Basanta Kumar Nembang have won the parliamentary seat from Panchthar while both the provincial state assembly candidates of the alliance are leading vote counting in the district. Nembang garnered 38,641 ballots while his closest rival NC’s Bhishma Raj Angdembe got 28,025 votes. After being elected, Nembang said agriculture, tourism and energy development besides effective implementation of the Statute were his priorities. Earlier, Nembang was elected in the parliamentary elections in 1991 and 1999 from Panchthar Constituency 1. However, he was defeated by NC’s Deepak Prakash Baskota in mid-term election in 1994.

UML Ganesh Kumar Kambang and CPN-MC’s Indra Angbo Mausam are leading vote counting for provincial assembly seats in the district.

Left alliance candidates are leading vote counting of parliamentary and provincial polls in Terhathum as well. NC’s Sita Gurung is following UML’s Bhawani Khapung for the parliamentary seat while CPN-MC’s Laxuman Tiwari and UML’s Tejman Kandangwa are leading vote counting for provincial assembly seats in the district.

Similarly, UML’s heavy weight leaders are leading vote counting for both parliamentary and provincial seats in Ilam as well.

NC’s Bhupendra Kattel is following UML’s Jhalanath Khanal in Constituency 1 while in Constituency 2, NC’s Keshav Thapa is following UML’s Subash Chandra Nembang in the district.

Meanwhile, left alliance candidates Rajendra Kumar Rai and Sher Dhan Rai have won provincial assembly election from Constituency-ka and kha respectively in Bhojpur. Rajendra defeated his closest rival Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal’s candidate Ajambar Rai Kangmang while Sher Dhan defeated NC candidate Govinda Bahadur Karki. Sher Dhan Rai is seen as an aspirant for the post of Chief Minister in Province 1.