I could not get votes from MPs of own group: Gagan

KATHMANDU: General Minister Gagan Thapa, who ran for the leadership of the Neepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party, was defeated.

He was defeated by President Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is also the Prime Minister, by 39 votes.

There were 59 MPs from the establishment group and 31 from the Shekhar group. The Shekhar group’s analysis was that at least 40 percent of the votes would be lost as General Minister Bishwa Prakash Sharma and Pradeep Paudel, who contested for General Minister from the establishment group, also supported him.

However, Gagan did not receive the votes of his own party’s legislators.

Deuba was elected party leader with 64 votes in the morning voting, while Gagan secured only 25 votes.