Pokhara, 7 March| In a significant political development from the Far-Western region, Nepali Congress leader Bharat Bahadur Swar has emerged victorious in Achham Constituency No. 1, defeating the heavyweight veteran leader of the Nepali Communist Party, Bhim Rawal. According to the final results released by the Election Commission, Swar secured his seat in the federal parliament by a competitive margin of 526 votes. This victory is seen as a major shift in the local political landscape, as Bharat Bahadur Swar garnered a total of 10,759 votes to claim the top spot. His closest rival, Bhim Rawal, who has long been a prominent figure in Nepali politics, finished the race with 10,233 votes, narrowly missing the chance to represent the constituency once again.
The electoral battle in Achham-1 also saw participation from other major political forces, though they trailed significantly behind the top two contenders. Deepak Bahadur Saud, representing the CPN-UML, secured the third position by collecting 7,389 votes. Meanwhile, the newer political wave represented by the Rastriya Swatantra Party saw its candidate, Om Prakash Rawal, obtaining 1,739 votes. On the further end of the spectrum, Lokendra Bahadur Shah of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party managed to secure only 102 votes. The defeat of a high-profile leader like Bhim Rawal by a Congress candidate highlights the evolving voter sentiment in the district. The atmosphere in Achham remains charged as supporters of the Nepali Congress celebrate Swar’s hard-fought win in what was considered one of the most watched contests in the region.
