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Nepal’s President will be elected today

KATHMANDU: With the three Madhesi leaders vying for the President’s post, it is certain the “New Nepal” would break tradition by having a pahade (a person hailing from the hills) as head of state.

A candidate has to get 301 votes to win in the 601-member Constituent Assembly (CA). The Maoists have 226 members and the Madhes-based parties have 82. After the 594 CA members cast their vote, the result would be announced on Saturday. All the nominees — Ramraja Prasad Singh (nominated by the Maoists), Ram Baran Yadav (Nepali Congress’ choice) and Ram Preet Paswan (UML’s choice) — hail from the Terai region. The chances of Mr. Singh winning are high as he is also backed by the three Madhes-based parties.

Mr. Singh is known as the first leader to speak of republican Nepal, and for setting off a bomb in Narayanhiti Palace in 1985. Mr. Yadav was a medical practitioner until he joined the Nepali Congress and Mr. Paswan is a former Vice-Chairman of the Upper House.

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