Maoists take lead in Nepal elections
Updated
In Nepal, the former rebel Maoists have taken a surprise lead in early counting after Thursday's election.
Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speakers: Prachanda, Maoist chairman; Jan Mulder, head of the European Union delegation; Jimmy Carter , former US president.
COCHRANE: After Nepal's much-awaited election, citizens gather outside a vote counting office in Kathmandu to get running updates on the results.
These early results have surprised many, indicating that the Maoist party - just two years out of the jungle - is on their way to a landslide victory.
Maoist chairman Prachanda told a press conference he considers the results a mandate from the people to reshape Nepal.
He said the election of a special body to rewrite the constitution was a long-term goal of the Maoist movement.
PRACHANDA: Even during the war we put forward the minimum condition for peace and time and again our minimum demand was for the election of the Constituent Assembly.
COCHRANE: Prachanda also assured other political parties and the international community that the Maoists would continue to work with them in order to develop one of the world's poorest countries.
PRACHANDA: And we are here for the peace and democracy and for the prosperity of this country.
COCHRANE: Thursday's election was the first real test of the Maoists' popularity, after a decade-long insurgency which killed more than 13,000 people and almost two years of a shaky peace process.
Judging from the early results, Nepal's citizens have voted overwhelmingly for change.
Over the weekend, several teams of international election observers presented their preliminary reports on the conduct of the election. Most said that despite serious problems during the pre-election campaign period, the vote itself went off smoothly and reflected the will of the people.
The head of the European Union delegation, Jan Mulder, said the technical aspect of the poll went well.
MULDER: Voting procedures in 89 percent of the polling stations visited by the EU observers were assessed as good or very good.
COCHRANE: The EU noted that in the days leading up to election day, campaigning occurred in a "general atmosphere of fear and intimidation", leading to 230 formal complaints.
But despite this, the EU appeared to accept the results.
MULDER: Overall, polling went smoothly and the environment was generally calm, despite a limited number of violence and the attempt to disrupt the poll, leading to the cancellation of voting in some polling stations.
COCHRANE: Nepal's Election Commission says repelling will be necessary in at least 60 polling stations and will begin on April 19th.
Former US president Jimmy Carter was also in Nepal to lead a team of election observers. He said the election had been credible.
CARTER: There were a few matters of concern, but I'd say they fade into relative insignificance when compared to the achievement that was reached and the general harmony that is apparent now.
COCHRANE: The Maoists were expected to do poorly in the first part of Nepal's two step ballot system, but already the results have shown a groundswell of support for the ultra-left former insurgents.
Maoist leader Prachanda won his seat in Kathmandu and another in the Maoist stronghold of Rolpa district. In other areas, party leaders of mainstream politics sitting in usually safe seats have been toppled by Maoists.
Many analysts see the landslide as a vote for change by a nation tired of war, but also tired of the squabbling of politicians holding back the much-needed development of this impoverished nation.
The counting of ballots will continue over the next two weeks and the people of Nepal will continue to pay close interest in what seems to be a Red dawn for the New Nepal.
