Chhakka Bahadur Lama on Friday became the first independent candidate to make it to the new federal parliament, as he defeated Nepali Congress (NC)’s Mangal Bahadur Shahi by 47 votes in Humla, a mountainous district in Province 6.

Chhakka Bahadur secured 8,491 votes. 

He had earlier won the 1994 parliamentary elections, defeating Chakra Bahadur Shahi, yet another NC leader. He was then a member of the Samyukta Janamorcha. 

Chhakka Bahadur, who has been involved in left-wing politics for long, was hoping to contest the federal parliament elections on the left alliance ticket after the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) decided to join hands. 

But the Maoist Centre picked former lawmaker Chhimi Dorje Lama as its candidate from the constituency, prompting Chakka Bahadur to file papers as an independent candidate. 

Chhimi Dorje is son-in-law of Chhakka Bahadur. Chhimi Dorje secured 2,856 votes.

“I will work for the welfare of people. My aim is to develop his hill district,” said Chhakka Bahadur after he was declared winner. 

Chakka Bahadur was largely inactive during the decade-long armed struggle launched by the Maoists. He was nominated assistant minister during king Gyanendra’s rule, but he returned to the Maoist party after the start of the peace process in 2006. He also contested the second Constituent Assembly elections from the Maoist party in 2013. 

Of the 27,507 registered voters, 21,925 ballots were cast in Humla in the first phase of federal parliament and provincial assembly elections held on November 26.