Independent mayoral candidate for Dharan Sub-metropolitan City Harka Sampang has extended his lead to 140 votes.
As per the latest update, Sampang has registered 8,818 votes while Kishore Rai of Nepali Congress, the ruling alliance’s common candidate, is behind him with 8,678 votes. Manju Bhandari of CPN-UML is third at 7,066.
Meanwhile, alliance candidate Aindra Bikram Begha of CPN (Maoist Center) leads the race for deputy mayor with 9,745 votes. His closest rival Padam Iswo of CPN-UML has 9,401 votes.
Altogether 30,459 votes have been counted until 12 pm Thursday.
Vote counting has already been completed in ward numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 18 and 19 of the sub-metropolitan city while it is continuing in wards 8, 11 and 12. Vote counting in ward number 20 has been postponed.