KATHMANDU, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Nepali Congress won nine seats, while the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)(CPN-UML) emerged victorious in eight seats in the National Assembly election held on Sunday, the Election Commission said.

The commission said in a statement that the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party-Nepal, or the Democratic Socialist Party-Nepal, won one seat. The Nepali Communist Party, formed after the merger of several communist parties, including the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center), failed to win a single seat, as the Congress and the CPN-UML had allied.

About one third of the National Assembly seats fall vacant every two years, to be filled by election.

Of the 19 seats falling vacant on March 4 this year, elections were held for 17 seats, as one candidate was elected unopposed. President Ram Chandra Poudel, on the recommendation of the government, will nominate one member to the assembly.

With 25 seats, the Congress has become the largest party in the 59-member upper house, followed by the Nepali Communist Party, and the CPN-UML stands third. ■