KATHMANDU: In a closely contested battle for supremacy in the Bajhang-1 by-election, the CPN-UML has regained its lead in the vote count, securing 9,889 votes.

Abhishek Singh of the Nepali Congress currently trails behind the UML candidate Daman Bhandari with 9,880 votes, marking a slim margin of nine votes between the two major contenders.

Meanwhile, Maoist candidate Janak Budha has secured the third position with 3,663 votes, followed by Dil Bahadur Singh of the Unified Socialist Party in fourth place with 2,405 votes.

The razor-thin margin between the UML and Nepali Congress highlights the intense competition unfolding in Bajhang-1, where every vote holds significant weight in determining the final outcome.