Centrist party emerges as largest party in Nepal vote count

Nepali Congress (NC), a centrist party of Nepal, has emerged as the largest party as counting of voters concluded on Thursday, Election Commission said. CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist), two communist parties have emerged as second and third largest party in the CA which is expected to write a new constitution. NC secured 105 seats under First-past-the-Post (FPTP) electoral category out of 240 and it gained 91 seats under the proportional category securing 2,421,252 votes. CPN-UML that secured 91 seats under FPTP bagged 84 seats under proportional category, while UCPN (Maoist) secured 26 seats under FPTP and 54 seats under proportional category. In 2008 election, UCPN (Maoist) had emerged as the largest party securing 237 seats in 601-member Constituent Assembly (CA). Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N), a party advocating the revival of monarchy has emerged as fourth largest party in the second CA securing 23 seats under proportional category. RPP-N that secured zero seats under FPTP ranked the fourth in the CA securing all seats under proportional category. EC said it will take another one week to prepare a final list of CA members. Political parties in Nepal are engaged in the close-door negotiations on the formation of the government which will replace the chief justice-led government formed on March 13 with a purpose of holding the election.