Sher Dhan Rai has been elected parliamentary party leader of CPN-UML in Province 1 paving the way for him to become chief minister (CM).
Rai secured 26 votes in the election among 51 provincial assembly members of the party held on Friday while Bhim Acharya got 24. One vote has been cancelled.
The election was a two-way race between two former ministers after Jeevan Ghimire withdrew his candidacy.