Alliance Candidates Win Both National Assembly Seats in Karnali Election

Surkhet. Candidates from the ruling alliance partners, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, have been elected for the two National Assembly seats in Karnali Province. Lalitjung Shahi of the Nepali Congress, who contested from the general cluster, and Mina Singh Rakhal of the CPN-UML, who contested for the women's seat, were elected.

Both candidates from the CPN (Maoist Centre) were defeated. Voting, which began Sunday morning, saw a turnout of 96.46 percent. According to the official, 191 votes were cast out of a total of 198 registered voters.

Out of 40 Provincial Assembly members, 39 cast their votes, while one member did not vote. Among the 158 local level voters, only 152 votes were cast. Six local level representatives did not cast their ballots.

Among the votes cast, CPN-UML's Rakhal received 26 votes from the Provincial Assembly and 93 votes from the local level. Similarly, Nepali Congress's Shahi secured 25 votes from the Provincial Assembly and 100 votes from the local level, stated Provincial Election Officer Lal Bahadur Gurung.

The defeated CPN (Maoist Centre) candidate for the women's seat, Anju Mahatara, received 13 votes from the Provincial Assembly and 55 from the local level, while Buddhi Prasad Sharma obtained 13 votes from the Provincial Assembly and 50 from the local level. The election office reported that a total of 6 votes were invalidated.