CPN-UML lawmaker Bimala Ghimire has been elected vice-chair of the National Assembly. The proposal to elect Ghimire as the vice-chair was passed by the majority of the upper House on Wednesday.

A total of 39 votes were cast in favour of Ghimire, who was the common candidate of the five-party ruling alliance. Bishnu Devi Pudasaini of the Nepali Congress received 16 votes in her favour while 39 votes were cast against her.

A total of 55 members were present in today’s meeting.

The position was vacant after Urmila Aryal resigned from the post on March 28 on the heels of the changed political equation in the ruling alliance. She stepped down from the position to pave the way for the election of a lawmaker from one of the other ruling coalition partners to the position as per the understanding reached among the alliance members.

A Maoist leader Narayan Dahal was elected chair of the upper house last month. A common candidate of the five-party ruling coalition, Dahal got elected to the post defeating Yuvaraj Sharma of the main opposition Nepali Congress.

The newly formed four-party ruling coalition on March 4 had agreed to elect a Maoist candidate to the top post of upper house chair that went vacant after Ganesh Timilsena completed his six-year tenure as the Assembly chair on March 3.

In the eight-point agreement, the four parties had stated that they would elect a CPN-UML lawmaker as vice-chair of the Assembly.