Nepal’s only billionaire suffers defeat in parliamentary elections

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s only billionaire, Binod Chaudhary, a candidate from the Nepali Congress, suffered a humiliating defeat in the country’s parliamentary elections at the hands of Rastriya Swatantra Party candidate Bikram Khanal in the Nawalparasi West-1 constituency.

Khanal secured 45,241 votes to win the election, defeating Chaudhary, who received 9,502 votes, according to the Election Commission of Nepal.

Chaudhary joins a long list of candidates from traditional political parties — the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN (UML), and the Nepal Communist Party — who have suffered defeats in this year’s elections as the RSP sweeps the polls across the country.

Several RSP candidates with business backgrounds are winning elections, while candidates from traditional political parties are suffering defeats.

Chaudhary’s loss came at a time when his party’s own president, Gagan Thapa, and General Secretary Pradeep Poudel, along with other heavyweight candidates, also suffered bitter defeats as the RSP wave swept the country.

The Nepali Congress has so far won 15 seats and is leading in two seats out of 165 constituencies, while the RSP has already secured victory in 103 seats and is leading in 21 seats, according to the election body. (IANS)

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