The new constitution adopted last month requires Nepal to name a new president.
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Kathmandu, Oct.28: Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) leader Bidya Bhandari was on Wednesday elected as the new President of Nepal.
Bhandari is Nepal’s second president since the Himalayan nation was turned into a republic after abolishing the centuries-old monarchy.
Out of total 597 lawmakers, 549 lawmakers took part in the voting held at the parliament earlier in the day, while 48 voters remained absent.
Kathmandu: Nepal is all set to elect its new President in Parliament on Wednesday after political parties failed to come up with a consensus candidate.
Newly elected President Bhandari has the experience in government as well as she was appointed as the Minister for Environment and Population in 1990 and Minister for Defense in 2009.
But it was after her husband’s death in a vehicle accident in 1993 that the mother of two became a prominent voice, riding a wave of sympathy to win a seat in parliament.
-She actively campaigns for women rights. The announcement of presidential election was made as per Clause 3 of Article 297 of the Nepal’s Constitution.
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Her candidature was supported by 14 parties represented in parliament including coalition partners Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Democratic. Bhandari, who retained her vice-chairperson position in the party’s general convention, is considered as one of the confidant leaders of party Chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
