UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal garnered 252 votes while his contender Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepali Congress (NC) secured 119. Of the 599 active members in the 601-seat parliament, 521 lawmakers had cast their votes in the first session voting for Dahal. Of them, 110 opposed him while 159 stood neutral.
During Poudel´s turn, 245 opposed him and 159 cast their votes for neutral position.
While Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D) lawmakers remained absent during the voting, Madhesi People´s Rights Forum abstained.
The CPN-UML that commands 109 votes has remained neutral since the first round voting insisting on formation of consensus government commanding at least two-thirds majority in parliament.
The eighth round of voting has been scheduled for September 26.
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