Suhang Nembang of the CPN-UML has emerged victorious in the by-election for the House of Representatives seat in Ilam Constituency No. 2. Nembang secured an emphatic win, defeating his nearest rival, Nepali Congress candidate Dambar Khadka, by a substantial margin of 5,830 votes.
The final vote tally saw Nembang garner 27,772 votes, while Khadka received 21,942. Independent candidate Dakendra Thegim secured 11,457 votes, and Milan Limbu of the Rastriya Swatantra Party obtained 5,050 votes.
This triumph marks a continuation of the Nembang family’s political legacy in Ilam, as Suhang succeeds his late father, Subash Nembang, who previously represented the same constituency in the lower house of parliament.
The by-election, held on April 27, was necessitated by the unfortunate demise of Subash Nembang last year, leaving the Ilam-2 seat vacant.
Analysts attribute Suhang Nembang’s resounding victory to the enduring support for the CPN-UML in the region and the goodwill associated with the Nembang name. However, the substantial vote share secured by the independent candidate, Dakendra Thegim, has raised eyebrows, potentially signaling a shift in voter preferences.
In a separate by-election held concurrently in Bajhang (1) for a seat in the Provincial Assembly, CPN-UML candidate Daman Bahadur Bhandari emerged victorious.
These by-election results have reinforced the CPN-UML’s position in the federal and provincial legislatures, providing the party with a boost as it prepares for the upcoming general elections scheduled for later this year.
