By KUNA
New Delhi : Maoists have won four seats in election of the 240-member Constituent Assembly of Nepal, proceeding Saturday. The Communist Party of Nepal (CPN)-Maoist leaders Dev Gurung and Pampha Bhushal won from Manang and Lalitpur-3 constituencies while other two candidates — Lila Sumai and Raj Kaji Maharjan — have been elected from Palpa-2 and Lalitpur-2 constituencies, news agency Press Trust of India reported, quoting state-run Nepal Television.
Maoist chairman Prachanda, leaders Ram Bahadur Thapa (Badal), its spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara and two female Maoist leaders Pampha Bhushal and Hisila Yami were leading in their respective constituencies, the news agency said.
Out of 88 constituencies, where counting was in progress, CPN-Maoist was leading in 48 constituencies while Prime Minister G P Koirala’s Nepali Congress was leading in 16.
CPN-United Marxist Leninist was leading in 12 constituencies. Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum was leading in seven seats and other parties in five constituencies, the news agency said. The final position of the seats tally would become clear in the next eight days. Elections to elect a Constituent Assembly were held on April 10 and the counting of votes began yesterday. While 240 seats of the 601-member Constituent Assembly will be elected on the basis of a direct fight, 335 would be chosen on the basis of proportional representation with the remaining 26 to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
Within 21 days of the results, the Constituent Assembly will have to hold a crucial meeting to decide on the abolition of monarchy in Nepal.