KALIYA: CPN-UML candidates have won the mayoral and deputy mayoral posts of Kolhawi Municipality in the third phase of local level elections in province number 2.

UML mayoral candidate Bharat Bhandari secured 7,410 votes while his closest rival Muralidhar Chaudhary of Nepali Congress received 7,205 votes.

Similarly, UML Sunaina Chaudhary clinched the deputy mayor of the same municipality. She collected 7,384 votes while her nearest rival Shubhadra Dhimal of Nepali Congress secured 7,178 votes.

It has been learned that Kolhawi is home town of Nepali Congress central member and former Health Minister Umakant Chaudhary.

Local political analysts said that the UML's victory had not given a good message to the NC.

Meanwhile, results of 130 out of 136 local bodies have been announced so far. The remaining six local units results would be announced soon, according to EC.