April 14, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 7, 1429

KATMANDU, April 13: Nepal’s former communist rebels picked up more seats on Sunday as they extended their lead in early returns from elections that will shape the Himalayan nation’s political future.

The Maoists – labelled a terrorist organisation by the US – secured 61 seats out of 115 in constituencies where counting was complete and were leading in most other areas where votes were still being tallied, the Election Commission said.

The traditionally powerful, centrist Nepali Congress was trailing with only 20 seats and the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) had only 18 seats, the commission said.

The election was hailed by both national and international observers.

Former US president Jimmy Carter, who led 62 monitors observing the polls, said the election provided new opportunities for previously marginalised minorities to participate in the political process.

“The Madeshis, Dalits, Janjatis and other marginalised groups will now be given a chance to participate along with women,” Mr Carter said in Kathmandu on Saturday before leaving Nepal.

The weak showing led the United Marxist-Leninist party to withdraw from the coalition government as it suffered the worst result in any election after years as a political force.

Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal announced on Sunday after the “defeat” that his party had no moral authority to continue in government, and said he would step down as the party’s secretary-general.

Meanwhile, two people were seriously wounded in a gunfight on Sunday between supporters of the rival United Marxist-Leninist and Rastriya Prajatantra Party in a southern village, said Kavilashi Panthi, chief district administrator.

Scattered shootings and clashes that killed two people on the election day and eight others in the days leading up to the poll did not deter millions of Nepalese from casting ballots in the country’s first election in nine years.

Maoists leader Prachanda, who uses only one name, won seats representing Kathmandu and Rolpa, a communist stronghold where they first launched their armed revolt in 1996.

Nepal’s election law allows candidates to contest in more than one constituency, but winners can only hold one seat.

Final results for the 601-seat Constituent Assembly, which will govern Nepal and rewrite the country’s constitution, are still a few weeks off, although officials say they should have a clear picture of what it will look like later this coming week.

The Maoists’ strong early showing has surprised most observers, who before the vote had been placing them third behind the country’s traditional electoral powers, the Nepali Congress and United Marxist-Leninists.—AP