Nepal’s main party leading in poll results but no majority

By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA
Associated Press

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal’s main ruling party is leading in last week’s parliamentary elections with most of the votes counted. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s Nepali Congress party however is short of securing a majority in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament. Deuba’s party has won 52 seats while the main rival Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) has 41 seats. Results have been declared in 150 of the total 165 directly elected districts. Deuba’s party is currently in an alliance with four others and together they are likely to have a majority of seats, which would allow them to form a coalition government. However, no official announcement have been made on the future of their partnership.