KATHMANDU: The CPN-UML has issued a whip calling to cast votes in favor of party candidate Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Badal in the National Assembly (NA) by-election of Bagmati Pradesh.

UML Generally Secretary Ishwar Pokharel on Monday directed all the concerned to cast votes in the election symbol of the party ‘sun’ in the NA by-lection to be held on May 20.

According to the directive issued, the voters have to bring with them negative PCR reports while participating in the by-election.

The by-election will take place from 9 am to 3 pm in Hetauda, the capital city of Bagmati Pradesh, on coming Thursday.

Three candidates have filed their candidacies for a vacant post of the National Assembly (NA) by-elections through the Bagmati Pradesh.

Krishna Bahadur Tamang from Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Badal from CPN-UML and Dr Khim Lal Devkota as an independent candidate have filed their nominations.

Among the three candidates, a tough competition is likely between Home Minister Thapa and Devkota. Devkota is backed by Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and Nepal-Khanal faction of ruling CPN-UML. If the Nepal-Khanal faction does not cast votes for Thapa, he is unlikely to be reelected to the National Assembly.

For the elections of a NA member, one provincial assembly member is equivalent to 48 votes, and a chief and deputy chief of the local units is equivalent to 18 votes, said Office of the Election Commission of Bagmati Pradesh.

According to the EC, there are 5,280 votes of 110 Provincial Assembly members and 4,284 votes of 238 chiefs and deputy chiefs of local units.  There are a total of 9,564 votes.

Of them, 34 Provincial Assembly members loyal to Prime Minister KP Oli faction of the CPN-UML have 1,632 votes. Twenty three Provincial Assembly members of Nepal-Khanal faction have 1,104 votes.

Similarly, 23 Provincial Assembly members of Maoist Center have 1,104 votes and 22 Provincial Assembly members of NC have 1,056 votes. Likewise, there are other eight Provincial Assembly members including two of NWPP in the Bagmati Pradesh.