Ruling Nepal Cong emerges largest party

KATHMANDU, Nov 27:
The ruling Nepali Congress led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today maintained its lead as the single largest party by winning 53 seats in the Parliamentary polls held to end the prolonged political instability that has plagued the Himalayan nation.
Elections to the House of Representatives (HoR) and seven Provincial Assemblies were held on November 20. The counting of votes started on Monday.
The Nepali Congress has won 53 seats and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML) secured 42 seats in the elections. The CPN-Maoist has emerged as the third largest party with 17 seats while the CPN-Unified Socialist has bagged 10 seats.
The newly-formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and pro-Hindu Rastriya Prajatantra Party have won 7 seats each. Independent and other smaller parties have emerged victorious on 21 seats. Out of the total 165 seats under direct voting, the results on 8 seats are still awaited.
The ruling five-party alliance has won 85 seats, against 55 seats won by the alliance led by CPN-UML. The ruling alliance includes the Nepali Congress led by Prime Minister Deuba, CPN-Maoist led by Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda, CPN-Unified Socialist headed by Madhav Nepal, Mahantha Thakur’s Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janamorcha led by Chitra Bahadur.
Under the proportionate voting method, the CPN-UML got the first position, securing more than 2.5 million votes and the Nepali Congress received 2.3 million votes. The CPN-Maoist and RSP have secured one million each. (PTI)