The elections, which are set to usher in democracy ending the 40-year monarchy, saw the first seat going to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress party, whose candidate Prkash Man Singh won one of the constituencies in Kathmandu. Maoist chairman Prachanda, Maoist war time strategist Ram Bahadur Thpa (Badal), its spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara and two female Maoist leaders Pampha Bhushal and Hisila Yami are leading in their respective constituencies.
The BJP's top leadership will drop its MPs found to be facing anti-incumbency, according to its internal surveys -- a pivotal tactic to ensure the party achieves its target of winning 370 seats.
CIDCA is headed by Luo Zhaohui, the former vice foreign minister and ex-ambassador to India.
The strike was called by major political parties demanding the restoration democracy.
Nepal plunged into a major political crisis, hours after Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai disbanded parliament with five political parties challenging the move to hold fresh elections, as the president reviewed the legality of the step.
With the Maoists sweeping the Constituent Assembly polls bagging 106 out of the 190 declared so far and leading in 11 others, the party has initiated serious consultations including a meeting with Prime Minister G P Koirala on modalities to form the new government. Results for 50 seats are awaited out of the 240 at stake in direct elections. The Maoists are on track to become the single largest party.
Out of the 73 results declared so far, CPN-Maoists bagged 43 seats, CPN-UML - 12, Nepali Congress of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala - 10, Madhesi People's Rights Forum - 5, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party - 2 and Terai Madhesh Democratic Party - 1. Determined to abolish the 240-year-old monarchy, Maoists in Nepal on Sunday emerged as the surprise single biggest gainers in the early results for the key Constituent Assembly polls,while several political heavyweights lost
An estimated 57.03 per cent voters cast their ballots on Saturday in the sixth phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections covering 49 Assembly seats, including Mau, where gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is in the fray.
Thousands of people fled to India to stay away from the polls.
Bollywood star Manisha Koirala has made a high-profile visit to the memorial of her grandfather B P Koirala, the first elected Prime Minister of Nepal, fuelling speculation that the Nepali beauty was set to join politics.
Bangladesh spinners, led by Shakib Al Hasan, guided their side to a thumping nine-wicket win against Afghanistan in their Qualifying Group A match of the ICC World T20 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Sunday. Later, Debutants Nepal produced a dominating all-round performance to crush Hong Kong by 80 runs in another qualifying Group A match.
Koirala told the former rebel that they should wait until the constituent assembly elections expected in June.
The foreign minister made the request for assistance to Modi who noted that India was committed to helping all nations affected by the tragedy.
Amid mounting pressure from the main opposition Nepali Congress and detractors within the ruling Communist party, Nepal's embattled Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal has said he would quit by next week if there was no "concrete" progress in the 2006 peace process.
Nepal's beleaguered King was on Wednesday given 15-day time to vacate the royal palace as thousands of people poured into the streets and sprinkled vermillion on each other to celebrate the country's transition to a republic.
'When democracy first came to Bhutan people had no idea and they were like 'What is that?' Oh it's that thing they have in India where the leaders are always fighting and arguing.' When I screened the film to Bhutan's film committee, they thought my film was good but they were concerned about that line. They wanted me to change that line. They said, 'We don't want to offend India.' I tried to tell them that Indians have a great ability to laugh at themselves but they insisted I change it.'
Bihar Legislative Assembly member Nagina Devi's name has been removed from the voters' list of her constituency after she failed to provide documents proving that she is an Indian citizen.
Even if the BJP gets 60, 70, or even 100 per cent of the votes in the seats where it scored more than 50 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, these will still add up to only 224 seats, argues Shekhar Gupta.
Chasing 176 to win, India 'A' lost both their openers -- Sai Sudharsan (8) and Abhishek Sharma (19) inside the sixth over with the scoreboard reading 41 but Dhull (108 not out) and Nikin Jose (41 not out) ensured an easy win, stitching unbeaten 138 runs for the third wicket.
Right now there are five Hindus occupying the top job in the world. Rishi Sunak will be the sixth.
Thousands of Tibetans across the world on Saturday voted to elect the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, an exercise that may usher in a transition in the community's leadership following the Dalai Lama's 'flat refusal' to reconsider his decision to retire as its political head.
It got the maximum number of votes [47] in a secret ballot.
It is a question that his supporters must ask of the prime minister. It may be enjoyable for them to pass through this phase of going after other Indians. But once this has been achieved to satisfaction, then what?, questions Aakar Patel.
Qualifier Nepal caused the first major upset of the World Cup, shocking New Zealand by 32 runs in a Group D match in Fatullah on Thursday.
The prime minister's gifts to the temple are estimated to cost Rs 4.09 crores!
Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra was expelled on Friday from the Lok Sabha after the House adopted the report of its Ethics Committee that held her guilty of accepting gifts and illegal gratification from a businessman to further his interest.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's decision to nominate Ananta Rai 'Maharaj', who has been demanding a separate state of 'Greater Cooch Behar' to be carved out of West Bengal, as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from the state, has kicked off a fresh storm with the ruling Trinamool Congress accusing the saffron party of fanning separatism in the state.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday warned that Bihar's areas close to the borders (seemant) will become 'infested with infiltrators' if Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not voted back to power.
Nepal plunged into a political crisis after President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the House of Representatives and announced dates for mid-term elections at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli on Sunday, sparking protests from a section of the ruling party and various opposition parties.
Over 26 people have lost their lives country in the aftermath of the 7.9 magnitude earthquake in Nepal.
Nearly 70 per cent of Nepal's electorate voted on Tuesday to choose an assembly that will draft a new constitution to end years of turmoil and political uncertainty though balloting was hit by sporadic violence, including vandalism and explosions that injured a dozen.
Xi Jinping's recent actions in South Asia have amply demonstrated the disastrous impact of China's embrace, observes Jayadeva Ranade, the retired senior RA&W officer and China expert.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he was proud that the State Assembly and the State Senate have passed the bill making Diwali a New York City Public School holiday.
'My feeling is that these parties will not learn their lesson despite their electoral drubbing. They cannot put forward a leader. They have no record of improving their constituents' lives by providing basic services. All they offer is their "'secularism",' says T V R Shenoy.
Amid demands for a separate state carved out of Bengal by some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that she is ready to shed her own blood, if need be, to thwart attempts to divide the state.
A Ganesh Nadar shares interesting vignettes that usually get lost in the heat-and-dust of election coverage.
