Maoist Centre’s Bhim Bahadur Bhandari elected Sudurpaschim Province Speaker

KAILALI: Bhim Bahadur Bhandari of the CPN (Maoist Centre) has been elected as the Speaker of Sudurpaschim Province.

He emerged victorious by securing 29 votes in the election held on Tuesday.

His closest contender Man Bahadur Rawal of the Nepali Congress garnered 23 votes.

In the 53-member Province Assembly, 27 votes were required to be elected as the Speaker.  Fifty two lawmakers took part in the election today.

Eleven lawmakers of the CPN (Maoist Centre), 10 of CPN-UML, 7 of Nagarik Unmukti Party and one of Rastriya Prajatantra Party voted in favour of Bhandari.

The election was conducted for the third time today as the polls held on January 28 and 30 could not pick the Speaker.