Bagmati- Indra Bahadur Baniya has been elected as the leader of Nepali Congress’ Bagmati Province Parliamentary Party.

In the voting held at the Provincial Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday, Baniya defeated incumbent Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama Tamang by eight votes.

Baniya received 22 votes in the total 37-member parliamentary party, while Lama received 14 votes. The Election Committee has stated that one vote was invalid. Earlier, in the no-confidence motion against Lama on Tuesday, 22 votes were in favor and 15 votes were against. With the passing of the no-confidence motion, Lama lost the status of party leader.

This is the second time that Baniya and Lama are competing for the party leadership. Earlier, Baniya was defeated by five votes in the first election held on 13 Poush 2079. Lama had received 21 votes and Baniya 16 votes at that time.

Following a no-confidence motion filed by 21 MPs under Baniya’s leadership on 9 Shrawan, five ministers in the Lama-led government resigned and stood in Baniya’s favor. Lama, who has been defeated as the parliamentary party leader, has reiterated that he will not resign from his post.