KATHMANDU: Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama has been removed from his post as the leader of the Nepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party in Bagmati Province after an internal no-confidence vote.

Reacting to the development, Lama questioned whether the process adhered to democratic principles. “The Nepali Congress is a democratic party. Whether this process respected democratic norms remains to be seen,” Lama said after the vote.

He acknowledged that the leader’s post is now vacant and confirmed that a new leader will be elected through a secret ballot on Wednesday.

In Tuesday’s internal vote within the NC parliamentary party, 22 lawmakers voted against Lama, while only 15 supported him.

There are 37 Nepali Congress members in the Bagmati Provincial Assembly.

Though Lama continues to serve as Chief Minister for now, the result highlights a major internal rift within the party’s provincial wing.

The leadership election scheduled for Wednesday will determine the party’s new direction in the province.