DANG: CPN-UML has witnessed an embarrassing beginning in the preliminary results of vote counting of the local election in Dang, the home district of the party General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel.

In the early stages of the vote count, the UML lags far behind the ruling coalition of Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-Maoist Center.

In the ongoing votecounts in 9 local levels, NC and Maoist Center have taken lead in four each leaving only one level lead for UML.

Dang, which has 10 local levels, has 2 sub-metropolitan cities, 1 municipality and 7 village municipalities. Counting is underway in all except Tulsipur sub-metropolitan city.

As the ward chairman candidate passed away in Tulsipur-17, the election is being held in the ward only on 17 May

The Maoists have taken the lead in Ghorahi sub-metropolis. Hemraj Sharma Pokhrel of the UCPN (Maoist) is leading with 3137 votes. His rival Narulal Chaudhary of UML is following Pokhrel with 2761 votes. NC has taken the lead in Lamahi municipality. NC’s Jograj Chaudhary got 1333 votes while Basant Raj Sharma of the Maoist  Center is in the fray. He got only 1034 votes.

Similarly, NC candidate Sarbajit DC has taken the lead in Gadhwa municipality with 1046 votes. His rival Yamanarayan Sharma Pokhrel of the Maoist Center has got 1014 votes.

NC candidate Shambhu Giri is leading with 596 votes in Dasharath municipality. His UML’s rival Meghnath Shah got 322 votes.

Counting of votes has just started in Bangalachuli rural municipality. Tulsiram Pun Magar of Maoist Center has got 250 votes while Bhesraj Khatri of UML has bagged 216 votes.

In Babai municipality, NC’s Kul Bahadur Khatri Chhetri has got 2400 votes while UML’s Bhubaneswar Poudel has got 1582 votes.

UML has taken the lead in Rajpur municipality. UML’s Kul Raj Giri has taken the lead with 1160 votes. Chakra Bahadur Khadka of Maoist Center is competing with UML in this municipality by getting 984 votes.

In Rapti municipality, Maoist Center’s Prakash Bhatta has taken the lead. While Bhatta has got 1988 votes, UML’s Jagat Prasad Pokhrel has got 1455 votes.

Likewise, in Shantinagar municipality, the Maoist Center has taken the lead. Mohanlal Oli of the Maoist Center has got 1076 votes while NC’s Pramod Basnet is following him with 1001 votes.