Kathmandu, July 11

The CPN-UML won majority of top posts in the first and second phase of local level elections.

Of the 617 local levels of Provinces 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 where local level polls were held on May 14 and June 28, the principal opposition party won 278 top posts, including two mayors of metropolitan cities — Kathmandu and Pokhara.

The ruling Nepali Congress won 226 top posts, including two mayors of metropolitan cities — Lalitpur and Biratnagar.  Another ruling party the CPN-Maoist Centre won only 84 top posts in the elections.

Likewise, Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal and Naya Shakti Party-Nepal’s coalition won nine top posts, Nepal Democratic Forum secured six top posts, Rastriya Prajatantra Party won five top posts and other fringe parties and independent candidates won 10 top posts. The result of Bharatpur Metropolitan City is yet to be announced.

The third phase of local level polls is scheduled to be held on September 18 in 127 local levels of eight districts of Province 2.

Experts said the results of the first and second phase local level elections indicate the dwindling popularity of the ruling alliances’ agendas. They said that the poll results could be a ‘message’ to the ruling alliance to improve their parties’ image.

Former Chief Election Commissioner Nilkantha Upreti said that the ruling parties — NC and CPN-MC should take the polls results as a warning and plan for the future accordingly to win public trust.

“The results show voters have ultimate power and they judge political parties and give verdict accordingly,” said Upreti.

He said the successful first and second phase of local level polls indicated that fear, terror, temptation and abuse during elections were on the wane.

Gopal Krishna Siwakoti, secretary general of National Election Observation Committee, said the poll results showed that voters judged the performance of political parties and would use their conscience while casting votes. He said the UML secured extra electoral mileage in the first and second phase of local level polls from its stance against constitution amendment and its ‘nationalist’ agendas.

He said political philosophy and impractical agendas also did not work in the local level polls.