3,739 votes counted: Deuba with 48.08 percent, possibility of second round increased (update)

KATHMANDU: DEC. 14 – The counting of votes for the election of the President of the Nepali Congress under the General Convention is underway.

According to the ongoing vote count, there is a tough competition between the two presidential candidates Sher Bahadur Deuba and Dr. Shekhar Koirala.

A total of 1,798 votes have been cast in favor of Sher Bahadur out of 3,739 votes counted in the National Assembly in Kathmandu. That is 48.08 percent. There are 1,413 votes in favor of Shekhar Koirala. Deuba has not been able to move beyond the percentage.

Apart from Sher Bahadur and Shekhar, the other contestants are lagging behind. Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakash Man Singh and Kalyan Gurung have not been able to move forward in proportion to Sher Bahadur and Shekhar. They are likely to be ‘out’ from the first round.

At the same time, the possibility of the second round of elections is also high. According to Congress legislation, in order to be elected president in the first round, a majority [more than 50 percent] must be brought. In the first round, neither Sher Bahadur nor Shekhar is likely to get 50 percent than above. Deuba, which had risen to 48 percent from 2,700 votes, has dropped to 47 percent again from 3,181 votes.