Mahesh Basnet Accepts Defeat in Bhaktapur-2 as RSP’s Rajiv Khatri Leads Vote Count

Kathmandu — Mahesh Basnet, the CPN-UML candidate from Bhaktapur Constituency No. 2, has acknowledged that the result of the House of Representatives election has not gone in his favor. He said the decision of the people is supreme in a democratic system and must be respected.

In a message posted on social media, Basnet said he had contested the election representing the CPN-UML and accepted the outcome with respect for the public mandate. In the constituency, Rajiv Khatri of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is leading the vote count. According to the latest update from the Election Commission, Khatri has secured 34,702 votes.

Basnet has received 8,351 votes, while Nepali Congress candidate Kabir Rana is in third place with 7,321 votes. Vote counting in the constituency is still ongoing. Basnet also congratulated Khatri for leading the race and wished him a successful tenure. He expressed hope that the winning candidate would work according to the expectations of the people.

He thanked voters who supported him and expressed gratitude to party leaders, cadres, and supporters who participated in the election campaign. Basnet said victory and defeat are natural processes in politics but added that his commitment to serve the people will remain unchanged. He stated that he will continue to play the role of a constructive opposition.

He also pledged to keep raising his voice on issues such as education, health, employment, corruption-free governance, and the building of a prosperous society, and said he will continue to advocate for public interests both inside and outside Parliament.