Three candidates for president post in Nepal

Kathmandu, Jul 17 (UNI) The major political parties of Nepal are divided over the post of president and have filed candidacy for the top post of the Himalayan nation today.

The Nepal Congress has proposed its general secretary Ram Baran Yadav and Man Bahadur Bishwokarma for the post of president and vice president respectively after the Maoists decided to make alliance with the UML and refused to support Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala for the post.

A meeting of the Congress party held at PM's residence decided to file its own candidates after the two major Communist parties Maoists and UML decided not to support the Nepali Congress party for the president's post.

Maoists decided to support Ram Raja Prasad Singh for the presidential post and its Constituent Assembly (CA) lawmaker professor Shanta Shrestha for the vice presidential post.

Angered by the move of the Maoists, the CPN, UML has also proposed the names of Ram Prit Paswan for president and central member Asta Laxmi Shakya for vice president post.

The major Madhesi party MPRF has decided to support Ram Raja Prasad Singh for the post and fielded the candidacy of Paramanand Jha for the post of vice president.

All the three candidates are from the Madhes, the plain land bordering with India.

None of the party have the majority in the 601 Constituent Assembly elected on April 10. However, the Maoists has emerged as the largest party with 229 seats while the Nepali Congress has 115, UML 108, MPRF 52 and Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party 21 and others are from small parties.

Mr Singh supported by Maoists and MPRF seems to be the strongest candidate for the post and will be elected for the post of president of the Himalayan nation.

Meanwhile, UML has decided not to join the Maoists led government to be formed within a few days time. UML leader Ram Chandra Jha said the cooperation with the Maoist has been wrecked.

He also said the party will not be joining the Maoist-led government.

UNI XC PD HT1730