Veteran politicians lose as youngsters win big in Nepal polls

PTI, Nov 27, 2022, 8:59 PM IST

Image Credit: IANS

Kathmandu: Several senior political leaders, including ministers and 60 incumbent MPs, have been defeated while many youngsters have registered victories in Nepal’s parliamentary polls.

As the results of the parliamentary elections under direct voting come closer to an end, Nepal’s top political parties have intensified efforts for the formation of a new government.

Elections to the House of Representatives (HoR) and seven provincial assemblies were held on November. The counting of votes started on Monday.

Two senior leaders of Madhes-based parties who lost the election are president of the Janata Samanwadi Party Upendra Yadav and Rajendra Mahato, the senior leader of the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, the sixth largest political party in Nepal.

Senior leaders of the second largest political party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML), who lost the election include senior vice president of the party Ishwor Pokharel, vice president Surendra Pandey, general secretary Shankar Pokharel and deputy general secretary Pradip Gyawali.

Other top leaders who were defeated are general secretary of CPN-Maoist Centre Dev Gurung, deputy general secretary and energy minister Pampha Bhushal, and deputy general secretary Girirajmani Pokharel.

Home Minister and Nepali Congress leader Balkrishna Khand and Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister of the incumbent government Jeevan Ram Shrestha also lost the election.

Former prime minister and senior leader of CPN-Unified Socialist Jhalanath Khanal and former foreign affairs minister and senior leader of the Nepali Congress Sujata Koirala also lost the election.

Many young people and new faces have also been elected to the House of Representatives.

The Rastriya Swotantra Party which was formed just six months ago by former TV journalist Ravi Lamichhane succeeded in grabbing seven parliamentary seats under direct election and secured more than one million votes under proportionate method.

The ruling five-party alliance has won 85 seats, against 55 seats won by the alliance led by CPN-UML.

In the 275-member House of Representatives, 165 will be elected through direct voting, while the remaining 110 will be elected through a proportional electoral system. A party or a coalition needs 138 seats for a clear majority.