The CPN-UML, which pulled off good results in the first phase of local elections, has maintained lead in the second round as well if preliminary results until 8:30pm on Thursday are anything to go by. 

Elections in Provinces 1, 5 and 7 were held on Wednesday for 334 local units, with voter turnout estimated at around 73.79 percent.

Preliminary results of 209 local units until 8:30pm showed that the UML was leading in 86 places with the Nepali Congress in 83 places. Both the parties have won one rural municipality each in Bajhang district of Province 7. The CPN (Maoist Centre) was leading in 25 local units. 

In the first phase in Provinces 3, 4 and 6, the UML won in 125 local units, which is 44 percent of the total 283 local units for which elections were held. The NC registered wins in 104 local units, which is 37 percent of the total. 

In addition to three major parties, Nepal Loktantrik Forum and Rastriya Janamorcha are leading in four local units each. 

As of Thursday evening, the UML has fared better than other two parties in Province 1 where there are 14 districts. The UML has traditionally maintained its stronghold in the province, mainly in Hill districts. 

Of the 91 local units where preliminary results were out in the province, the UML maintained lead in a little less than half of the places (44 local units) followed by the NC (39 places) and the Maoist Centre in six places. 

Preliminary results of Province 5 also put the UML ahead of other two major parties. By the time the results of 62 local units were trickling in, the UML was leading in 24 places followed by the NC (21 places) and Maoist Centre (11 places). 

The Maoist Centre was leading in majority of local units in Rukum and Rolpa, the district from where then rebel Maoists had started their war against the state in 1996.

In Province 7, the NC was leading in 24 places out of 56 local units whose preliminary results were out till 8:30pm.

The UML was leading in 18 places and the Maoist Centre in eight. This is Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s home province. 

The Election Commission has said all the results are likely to be out within a week.