Maoists lead in the PR poll race

Kathmandu, Apr 18 (UNI) The Maoists continue to lead in vote count under the Proportional Representation (PR) system of polls, clinching 21,92,681 votes, followed by the Nepali Congress, which has got 14,95,535.

In direct polls, they have won 116 out of 240 Constituent Assembly seats. The NC won a seat yesterday, securing 34 seats in the 601-member Constituent Assembly, while the CPN-UML bagged 31, The Himalayan Times reported today.

Under the PR system, it has polled 14,32,603 votes in the PR. It is too early to predict final results since results of polling in 221 constituencies under the first-past-the-post have been declared.

Counting of votes under the PR system is underway in most of the districts. The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum won one more seat yesterday, securing a total of 24 seats. The fourth largest party polled 2,53,239 votes under the PR system.

With seven candidates elected to the Constituent Assembly, the Tarai Madhes Democratic Party is in the fifth position, followed by the Sadbhavana Party-Mahato, which has won three seats.

The People's Front Nepal and the Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party share the seventh position with two wins each. Two independent candidates have been elected to the CA so far.

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