Tharoor lost two positive votes, and could get only eight against ten he had received in the earlier straw polls.
Ban, a close ally of the Bush administration, too lost one vote which shifted to 'no opinion' but still had 13 positive votes - five more than Tharoor. It was yet unclear whether one negative vote against Ban was by a veto wielding permanent members but most diplomats speculated that it was perhaps a non permanent member from Asia.
A candidate needs a minimum of nine votes with no veto in the 15-member Security Council to be recommended to the 192-General Assembly, which formally elects the Secretary General. Under the Charter, the Assembly can vote only on the candidate reommended by the Council. The position should become clear on Monday when permanent members would be given different colour ballots.
The setback to Tharoor apparently made Ban more confident. "I am encouraged by the level of support I received, and I hope that eventually I will have unanimous support," he told the New York Times from Seoul after the straw poll yesterday.
Current Secretary-General Kofi Annan retires at the end of his second term on December 31.