Kathmandu: Maoists have won four seats, out of 240 in the landmark elections in Nepal, while Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have got one seat each, according to state-run Nepal Television.

In the first past-the-post (direct) elections, the CPN-Maoist central members, Dev Gurung and Pampha Bhushal won from Manang and Lalitpur-3 constituencies while other two candidates -- Lila Sumai and Raj Kaji Maharjan -- have been elected from Palpa-2 and Lalitpur-2 constituencies.

The elections, which are set to usher in democracy ending 240-year-old monarchy saw the first result going to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress(NC) whose candidate Prakash Man Singh won a prestigious constituency in Kathmandu.

The second result went to the Maoists with Dev Gurung winning from Manang district in north-west Nepal. Manang is a mountainous region with very less population density.

Gurung got 1,652 votes against Nepali Congress's Palten Gurung who bagged 1,202 votes. Out of 88 constituencies, where counting was in progress, CPN-Maoist was leading in 48 constituencies while Nepali Congress in 16.

Similarly, CPN-UML was leading in 12 constituencies, Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum in seven and other parties in five constituencies.

Till late last night, Maoist chairman Prachanda, his war time strategist Ram Bahadur Thapa (Badal), its spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara and two female Maoist leaders Pampha Bhushal and Hisila Yami were leading in their respective constituencies.

Prachanda was leading in Kathmandu-10,Badal in Chitawan -2 while Mahara in Dang -3. The election of a 601-seat Constituent Assembly to write a new constitution has been billed as the cornerstone of a 2006 peace deal struck with Maoists.

Source : PTI