KATHMANDU: Independent candidate Balen Shah has been elected as the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City while Sunita Dangol of CPN-UML has won the post of deputy mayor.

According to the Election Commission, the counting of votes was completed on Thursday but the final results are being announced only on Friday morning.

According to the final results, Balen Sah got 61,767 votes while his nearest rival Sirjana Singh of Nepali Congress got 38,341 votes. Similarly, CPN-UML candidate Keshav Sthapit got 38,117 votes.

UML’s Sunita Dangol defeated CPN (Unified Socialist)’s Rameshwar Shrestha by a huge margin. She got 68, 612 votes while Shrestha got 23,806 votes.

The rally is scheduled to start from the National Assembly, the polling station.

As soon as Balen’s victory was confirmed, he was congratulated on social media.

Balen’s thanksgiving rally will start from Bhadrakali – Tripureshwar – Maitighar (Service Track South) – Babarmahal – Bijulibazaar – UN Park – Corridor – Shantinagar – Tinkune – Koteshwar – Jadibuti – PepsiCola – Koteshwar – Tinkune Sinamangal – Airport – Tilganga – Gaushala – Chabahil – Maharajgunj – Samakhusi – New Bus Park – Balaju – Swayambhu – Sitapaila – Kalanki – Balkhu – Kuleshwar – Kalimati – Teku – Tripureshwar and converse into a mass meeting at Khulla Manch.

Who is Balen?

A rapper, and a structural engineer by profession, Balen was born in Naradevi, Kathmandu.

He is currently residing in Tinkune. His father Ram Narayan Sah is an Ayurvedic doctor.

He completed his higher secondary education (Plus Two) from VS Niketan in Kathmandu, and graduated from Himalayan White House College with a degree in Engineering.

Balen, who has a bachelor’s degree in structural engineering from a university in India, has worked in various districts of Nepal for development work.

His background is not political. Balen, who is known as a structural engineer and rapper by profession, had a large number of people who did not believe him when he was running for mayor.

He had announced his candidature for the metropolitan constituency two and a half years ago.

Balen had contested the local election with full preparations.