Kathmandu, March 7
President Bidya Devi Bhandari will be re-elected as Nepal’s Head of State, it has been confirmed as the ruling party CPN UML decided to back her candidacy for the post.
A meeting of the party’s standing committee, which concluded at midnight, decided to field Bhandari as its candidate for the post. Former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal was also in the race, but the standing committee decided in favour of Bhandari, who is also the widow of UML stalwart Madan Bhandari.
Bhandari was elected to the top post as Nepal’s second President on October 28, 2015, a month after the promulgation of the new constitution.
Formal election for the post has been scheduled for March 13. As the UML and its Left Alliance command a majority in both Houses of Parliament, Bhandari is certain to be re-elected.
