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Nepal Maoist leader Prachanda claims elections were rigged Nepal Maoist head Prachanda calls for election halt
(about 4 hours later)
The leader of Nepal's Maoist party has alleged the country's elections were rigged after state television reported he had lost his seat in parliament. The leader of Nepal's Maoist party has threatened to boycott parliament if vote counting in this week's "rigged" elections is not immediately halted.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda, called for vote counting to be stopped, alleging a "conspiracy". Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda, alleged that there had been widespread fraud in the polls which amounted to a "conspiracy".
Early results show the former rebels losing badly and their leader finished third in his Kathmandu constituency, according to election officials. But the Election Commission has rejected his demand.
Early results showed the Maoists trailing in the vote, seen as vital in moving towards political stability.
The vote is the second in Nepal since a 10-year Maoist revolt ended in 2006.The vote is the second in Nepal since a 10-year Maoist revolt ended in 2006.
The previous assembly failed in its task to draft a new constitution.The previous assembly failed in its task to draft a new constitution.
It was elected in 2008 after the overthrow of the monarchy but was bitterly divided.It was elected in 2008 after the overthrow of the monarchy but was bitterly divided.
'Conspiracy' Third place
The Maoists won the largest number of votes in the last election, but failed to secure an outright majority. Addressing supporters in Kathmandu on Thursday, Prachanda said that vote-counting should cease to allow for an immediate investigation.
Prachanda's constituency was thought to be a stronghold of the former rebels, but his party finished well behind the winning Nepali Congress in this week's poll, elections officials said. "We have clearly demanded that there should be a probe of all election processes before the next step," he said.
Prachanda said he had received reports of massive irregularities during the voting process, with ballot boxes being tampered with. "If the election commission does not immediately stop counting we will completely boycott the entire election process. We will boycott the Constituent Assembly."
"We urge the election commission to stop the counting," AFP news agency quoted him as saying. At a press conference he said that he accepted the "people's verdict but cannot accept conspiracy and poll-rigging" because, he said, ballot boxes were tampered with while being transported from polling stations to counting centres.
"We accept [the] people's verdict but cannot accept conspiracy and poll-rigging." His boycott warning came after latest poll results showed that the centrist Nepali Congress party was leading in many constituencies across the country, with the Maoists trailing in third place.
The former guerrilla leader became the country's first post-war prime minister in 2008, but resigned nine months later following a disagreement with the army. Sporadic violence
Chief election commissioner Neel Kantha Upreti said there were no plans to stop the vote counting, according to the Associated Press. Prachanda lost his seat in Kathmandu constituency, but is leading in another seat in the southern district of Siraha.
But Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Upreti told the BBC Nepali Service that counting of the votes would continue even if some politicians boycotted the ballot.
Officials said turnout in Tuesday's election was 70% and voting was largely peaceful, despite sporadic violence on the day and a series of attacks in the run-up to the vote blamed on opponents of the poll.Officials said turnout in Tuesday's election was 70% and voting was largely peaceful, despite sporadic violence on the day and a series of attacks in the run-up to the vote blamed on opponents of the poll.
Foreign observers including former US President Jimmy Carter and the European Union have described the vote as being well conducted.
"The international observers, the domestic observers and all the major parties say it was surprisingly good and fair and already proven to be [a] safe election," Mr Carter told the AFP news agency on Wednesday.
The Maoists won the largest number of votes in the last election, but failed to secure an outright majority.
Prachanda became the country's first post-war prime minister in 2008, but resigned nine months later following a disagreement with the army.
Full results are not due for several weeks. No clear winner is expected.Full results are not due for several weeks. No clear winner is expected.
The election is seen as vital in moving the country towards greater political stability.
The Himalayan nation became a republic in 2008, ending 240 years of monarchy.The Himalayan nation became a republic in 2008, ending 240 years of monarchy.
Five governments have come and gone - two of them headed by the Maoists - since then elections in that year. Five governments have come and gone - two of them headed by the Maoists - since the elections in that year.
The assembly elected then was originally given two years to draft a new constitution. The deadline was repeatedly extended but it could not deliver, and was dissolved more than a year ago.