Uddhav Thapa of Krishna Prasad Sitaula faction of the Nepali Congress has been elected the leader of the provincial assembly party of the Nepali Congress in Province 1 on Friday.

Congress elected its leader for the Assembly through an election on Friday.

Thapa, who is also Province 1 Congress President, received 18 votes to secure the post. He has been elected as lawmaker through the proportional ballot.

Lawmakers Kedar Karki, who is from Shekhar Koirala faction, garnered nine votes and Amrit Aryal, who is also a central member of the party, got two votes, said party’s Election Committee Coordinator Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi.

Karki is the outgoing Internal Affairs and Law Minister in the caretaker provincial council of ministers.