KATHMANDU: CPN-UML mayoral candidate Ananta Poudel has conceded defeat to CPN (Unified Socialist) candidate Meena Lama in Hetauda Sub-metropolitan City.

This comes as around 4,000 votes, of the total 73, 414 votes cast, remain to be counted.

Candidate Poudel congratulated Lama when 69,696 votes had been counted. UML’s Poudel urged Lama to work by respecting the people’s mandate.

As of now, Lama is leading with 21,802 votes as Poudel is chasing her with 19,701 votes followed by Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)’s Dipak Bahadur Singh with 19,137 votes.

Counting of votes in wards 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of Hetauda sub-metropolis is underway.

Lama gained a lead of 2,077 votes against UML candidate Poudel.

3,718 votes are yet to be counted.

The CPN (Unified Socialist) has the support of the Nepali Congress, the CPN-Maoist Center and the Janata Samajwadi Party.