Another blow for Oli’s UML as NC’s Pandey elected NA member from Lumbini

KATHMANDU, May 31:  Driga Narayan Pandey has been elected as the National Assembly (NA). 

Pandey, the candidate fielded by the main opposition Nepali Congress with the backing of CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) and Rastriya Jana Morcha, secured a total of 160 votes [ 42 from Lumbini Provine Assembly and 118 from local levels] through the voting held on Monday. 

Chandra Bahadur Khadka, who was in the race representing the ruling CPN-UML, suffered the loss as he garnered only 134 votes --- 40 from province lawmakers and 94 chiefs and deputy chiefs of local units. 

Earlier, UML candidate Ram Bahadur Thapa also suffered a loss in the by-election for a vacant seat in the upper house from Bagmati Province. He lost to Dr Khimlal Devkota, an independent candidate supported by the opposition alliance.