Voting is underway at the parliamentary party office of the Nepali Congress in Singha Durbar to elect its parliamentary party leader.

Gagan Thapa, the 46-year-old general secretary of the Nepali Congress, is running against the 76-year-old party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is also the incumbent prime minister, for the position of parliamentary party leader in the election today.

The winner of the parliamentary party election will be the party’s candidate for the post of prime minister in the new government.

To be elected the leader, a candidate has to secure the support of at least 45 of the party’s 89 lawmakers.

The newly elected House members reached the parliamentary party office to cast their votes early this morning. 

Security has been tightened at the venue and only the newly elected lawmakers are allowed to enter the office premises after confirming their names are on the voting list.