Nepal Communist poised to take power

KATHMANDU: Nepal´s Communist parties have secured a majority of seats in the upper house of parliament, the election commission said Thursday, paving the way for the leftist alliance to form the next government two months after historic general elections. The alliance of the main Communist party and former Maoist rebels won a strong majority in the indirectly elected upper house, according to results announced Thursday. The results of the national vote held late last year have not yet been confirmed, but an incomplete tally suggests the alliance also secured a majority in the directly elected lower house. Last year´s landmark elections capped Nepal´s rocky 11-year transition from monarchy to federal democracy after a brutal civil war between Maoist guerrillas and the state.