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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Nepal Maoist head Prachanda calls for election halt | Nepal Maoist head Prachanda calls for election halt |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| 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. | 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, alleged that there had been widespread fraud in the polls which amounted to a "conspiracy". | Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda, alleged that there had been widespread fraud in the polls which amounted to a "conspiracy". |
| But the Election Commission has rejected his demand. | 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. | 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 was bitterly divided and failed in its task to draft a new constitution. | |
| It was elected in April 2008 and voted to abolish the monarchy in May of that year. | |
| Third place | Third place |
| Addressing supporters in Kathmandu on Thursday, Prachanda said that vote-counting should cease to allow for an immediate investigation. | Addressing supporters in Kathmandu on Thursday, Prachanda said that vote-counting should cease to allow for an immediate investigation. |
| "We have clearly demanded that there should be a probe of all election processes before the next step," he said. | "We have clearly demanded that there should be a probe of all election processes before the next step," he said. |
| "If the election commission does not immediately stop counting we will completely boycott the entire election process. We will boycott the Constituent Assembly." | "If the election commission does not immediately stop counting we will completely boycott the entire election process. We will boycott the Constituent Assembly." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Sporadic violence | Sporadic violence |
| Prachanda lost his seat in Kathmandu constituency, but is leading in another seat in the southern district of Siraha. | 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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 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 the elections in that year. | Five governments have come and gone - two of them headed by the Maoists - since the elections in that year. |