An independent candidate has won the presidency of Shankarnagar Forestry and Research Center (Vanvatika), which is a major tourist destination of Tilottma Municipality, for the next 4 years, defeating the alliance of Congress and UML.

661 votes were cast in the election held on Friday in Vanwatika, which has 775 voters. Independent candidate Khimlal Pandey won by getting 369 votes out of the votes cast. He was close to Netra Vikram Chand of CPN Maoist and was competing in the election as an independent candidate. Engineer Kiran Kharel from his rival Congress UML alliance got 234 votes . Kharel is close to UML . 

Similarly, Min Prasad Devkota of Congress has been elected as vice president by getting 378 votes. His competitors, Lekh Bahadur Khadka of Swatantra got 132 votes and Chanda Thapa got 109 votes. Independent's Vidur KC won as secretary by getting 379 votes. Harikala Adhikari, the secretary's competitor, got 188 votes and Hiramathi Thapa got 57 votes. Likewise, Maniram Bhattarai of the alliance has been elected as treasurer with 385 votes. Saurabh Bhusal of independent got 175 votes and Uday Singh Thapa got 63 votes.

6 candidates were competing for two audit committee members . Among them, Sandeep Bhattarai won with 313 votes and Bishnu Prasad Subedi with 211 votes. Similarly, among the members, Bindu Takal 312, Shankar Bhandari 297, Parvati Chhetri 283, Saraswati Baral 239, Rammaya Aryal Paudel 223, Jyothymaya Thapa 213 and Laxman Malla won by getting 112 votes, said Election Committee Coordinator Mohan Chapagain.