Kathmandu, Jan 26: In Sunday’s National Assembly elections in Nepal, the Nepali Congress (NC) emerged as the largest party, securing nine out of the 17 contested seats, followed closely by the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML) with eight seats, and the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party with one seat.One of the 18 vacant positions was filled uncontested. With this outcome, the Nepali Congress now holds 25 seats in the 59-member upper house, consolidating its position as the dominant force. The CPN-UML’s strength has increased to 11, while the Nepali Communist Party remains the second-largest party with 18 seats.
The elections, conducted from 9 am to 3 pm (local time), witnessed a high voter turnout of 95.68%, with the process reportedly concluding peacefully across the country. Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai confirmed that the election was carried out smoothly, reflecting an orderly and transparent exercise.
The National Assembly, Nepal’s upper house, consists of 59 seats, one-third of which become vacant every two years. Eight members are elected from each of the seven provinces, totaling 56, while the remaining three are nominated by the president. Eligible voters include provincial assembly members, mayors, deputy mayors, and chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of rural municipalities, each carrying varying vote weightage.
Ahead of the vote, the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML had reached a pre-poll understanding to facilitate coordination. The outcome underscores the NC’s strengthened influence in Nepal’s federal legislature while highlighting continued collaboration and political negotiation among the country’s major parties.