UML's Nembang closes gap on NC's Khadka in Ilam-2

Setopati

Kathmandu, April 28

FILE - Suhang Nembang (left) and Dambar Bahadur Khadka

CPN-UML candidate Suhang Nembang has closed the gap on Dambar Bahadur Khadka of Nepali Congress as vote counting continues in the by-election for the House of Representatives constituency of Ilam-2.

With votes of three wards of Phakphokthum Rural Municipality counted so far, NC’s Khadka is ahead of Nembang by 40 votes. Khadka has secured 1,643 votes while Nembang has 1,603.

Independent candidate Dakendra Singh Thegim is third with 437 votes while Milan Limbu of Rastriya Swatantra Party has received 305 votes.

According to the Election Commission, votes from ward numbers 1, 2 and 3 of Phakphokthum have been counted while vote counting of ward number 4 is in progress.

Subash Nembang of UML was elected from Ilam-2 in November 2022 defeating NC’s Khadka by a slim margin. Nembang received 30,020 votes while Khadka received 29,906 votes. Khadka was the ruling coalition’s common candidate then.