Kathmandu, Jan. 25 -- The alliance of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML swept the National Assembly elections held for a third of its total seats on Sunday.

In the predictable poll, the Congress won all nine states it contested, while the UML registered victory in eight. One seat went to the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal (LSP-N). The Congress and UML had supported LSP-N chair Mahantha Thakur, who contested from the Madhesh province.

Among the 19 seats that are becoming vacant on March 4, the Election Commission conducted elections for 18. Voting was held for 17 positions as Sunil Bahadur Thapa, a Congress candidate from Koshi, was elected unopposed. President Ramchandra Paudel, on the recommendation of the government, will nominate one mem...