Friday, February 10 2006 14:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Nepal's pro-King Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (Thapa) led by Home Minister Kamal Thapa has won most of the seats in the municipal polls which were boycotted by key political parties amidst charges of rigging and misuse of security forces.

Out of the 53 declared municipality results, candidates belonging to Thapa's party won in 22 municipalities including 9 unopposed, the Election Commission said today (Feb 10,2006).

Four Mayors went to Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Mandal) another pro-King party led by Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Badri Prasad Mandal and rest went to independents.

Representatives of Nepal Samata Party belonging to another senior minister Narayan Singh Pun, have boycotted the counting process for Municipal polls in Kathmandu Metropolitan City accusing Home Minister Thapa's involvement in irregularities including change of election directorate inthe last minute.

Another Mayoral candidate Krishna Shahi alleged that the polls were rigged in favour of the Home Minister.

India, USA, Japan and European Union have questioned the credibility of the election in which no major political party took part and hundreds of activists were arrested.

The results came in the backdrop of simmering anger over the death of a Nepali Congress (Democratic) worker, who was shot dead by the army on poll day.

Party sources said security forces shot dead Hurilal Rana, 25, of Dhangadi Municipality. Rana's cremation was today attended by thousands of political activists including senior opposition leaders.

Eight student organizations affiliated to the opposition parties have said they would register a case of killing of the UML cadre in army firing at the International Court of Justice.