KATHMANDU: The ruling CPN-UML has said raised serious concern over the senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal faction’s decision of not voting for the party candidate Ram Bahadur Thapa “Badal” in the National Assembly election held today.

A Standing Committee meeting of the party held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Thursday condemned the Nepal-led faction for not voting for the party’s official candidate.

UML spokesperson Pradip Gyawali said that the meeting took seriously the faction’s refusal to vote for the party’s official candidate in the by-election for a vacant NA seat in Bagmati.

He said that some leaders and people’s representatives have disobeyed the party’s directives.

“The meeting has taken it seriously,” he said adding that the SC meeting also condemned the act.

Home Minister Thapa was the UML candidate in the National Assembly by-election.

The opposition alliance, including the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), the Madhav Nepal faction of the UML, and the Janata Samajbadi Party fielded Khim Lal Devkota.