Independent candidate Gopal Hamal has won the mayoral post of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City of Kailali district.

Hamal secured 26,865 votes while his closest rival Nrip Bahadur Oda of the Nepali Congress secured 14,817 votes.

Hamal was leading in the counting by almost double since the counting started.

Hamal and Oda were also the rivals in the 2017 elections. At that time, Oda had defeated Hamal by 2,700 votes.

Similarly, UML’s Kandakala Rana has won the post of deputy mayor. Rana defeated Shanti Kumari Adhikari of the CPN (Maoist Centre). Rana secured 15,479 while Kshetri secured 12,270.

Dhangadhi Sub Metropolitan is in Kailali district of Sudurpaschim Province. There were 93,151 eligible voters for the local elections this year, according to the Election Commission. There are 19 wards in the metropolitan city with the population of 204,788.