Prachanda, or Puhpa Kamal Dahal, secured 20,499 votes, almost double than his closest rival Rajendra Kumar K.C of Nepali Congress, who got 11,103 votes in Kathmandu constituency-10, the Nepalnews online said on Saturday. Along with Prachanda, another Maoist leader and minister in Prime Minsiter G P Koirala government Hisila Yami emerged victorious with 9,273 votes from Kathmandu constituency-7.

The Maoists, who are still named as a terrorist organisation by the United States, have been predicting victory for their party. In an apparent attempt to assure the domestic and international community, Prachanda has expressed his party's sincerity in carrying forward the lanmark peace process in the country. "We want to continue working with parties and the international community," Prachanda told mediapersons at the Birendra International Convention Center (BICC) in Kathmandu, where the vote counting was carried out.

"For the international community and especially our neighbours India and China, I want to say that our party wants good relations with all of them and is willing to work together on development and peace process," he said. Former US president Jimmy Carter, international election watch groups, India and United Nations have praised Nepal for holding the election peacefully and bringing the Maoists to the multi-party democratic exercises.