Nepali Congress President and Parliamentary Party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has further consolidated his hold in the party with the election of his loyalists in two-third seats on the Parliamentary Committee (PC).

However, Deuba supporter Dirgharaj Bhat lost the election from Province 7 to Bharat Bahadur Khadka. Deuba belongs to the province where his electoral constituencies are Dadeldhura and Kailali. Bhat was defeated by 17 votes.

Electronic voting was conducted on Friday after effort to reach consensus between Deuba and his rival Ram Chandra Poudel had failed, said NC leaders. In the PC, Deuba supporters won 17 seats while his rival camp secured four.

Poudel’s men were elected to represent provinces in three positions and the Khas/Arya seat. In the inclusive representation posts, Pramila Devi Das and Rashmi Thakur were elected from the Madhes/women quota.

Ram Ayodhha Prasad won in the Madhesi male category, Asha BK in Dalit female and Narvan Kami won in the Dalit male seat while Usha Gurung and Gyan Kumari Chhantyal came victorious from the Adivasi/Janajati women.

Aang Tawa Sherpa and Tirtha Bahadur Lama got the Adivasi/Janajati male seats while Geeta Wagle and Madhu Shahi Thakuri won in the Khas/Arya woman category.

Rajan KC, a Poudel supporter, was elected from the Khas/Arya male category. Abdul Razzak and Bhotan Devi Khawas were elected to the Muslim and Tharu seats.

The seven members elected from the seven provinces are Deepak Khadka, Prem Kishore Prasad Shah Teli, Dhyan Govinda Ranjit, Ram Chandra Pokhrel, Bikram Khanal, Tapta Bahadur Bista and Bharat Bahadur Khadka. Rajiv Bikram Shah of the Deuba panel was elected unopposed from the backward region.

Deepak, Bharat and Pokhrel support Poudel. According to the NC charter, the working committee is 33-strong. The rest of the seats including the vice parliamentary leader will be nominated.