NC's Khadka takes early lead in Ilam-2

Setopati

Biratnagar, April 28

FILE - (From left) Limbu, Thegim, Nembang and Khadka

Nepali Congress candidate Dambar Bahadur Khadka has taken an early lead in the by-election for the House of Representatives constituency of Ilam-2.

According to preliminary results, Khadka is leading the vote count with 1,145 votes while Suhang Nembang of CPN-UML is close behind with 1,063 votes.

Independent candidate Dakendra Singh Thegim has received 188 votes, Milan Limbu of Rastriya Swatantra Party has 115 and Laxmi Gurung of Rastriya Prajatantra Party has 4 votes.

The votes are being counted at the Gautam Buddha City Hall in Ilam Municipality-7. The vote counting began with the ballots cast in ward numbers 1 and 2 of Phakphokthum Rural Municipality.

The by-election for Ilam-2 constituency was held on Saturday. The constituency has a total of 115,889 voters, among whom 69,287 voted in the by-election.

The constituency has been vacant after the death of UML Vice-chairman Subash Nembang on September 12 last year.