Kathmandu, Aug 26: A direct contest for Nepal's primiership will take place between leftist candidate Dr Baburam Bhattarai and democratic candidate Ram Chandra Poudyal on Sunday after they filed their nomination papers today.
UCPN (Maoist) vice-chairman Bhattarai and Nepali Congress (NC) vice president Poudyal filed their nomination papers at the Parliament Secretariat in Singha Durbar.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda proposed Bhattarai's name and Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha seconded the proposal, while Paudel's name was proposed by senior NC leader Prakash Man Singh and seconded by central committee member Bimalendra Nidhi.
Former Prime Minister Jhalnath Khanal resigned on August 14 after failing to make process in drafting Nepal's long-delayed constitution.
The 601-member Parliament was given the responsibility to elect a new Prime Minister through majority vote after political parties failed to nominate a consensus candidate for post within President Ram Baran Yadav's 10-day deadline, which expired on Wednesday.
As per the amended regulations, there will not be more than three rounds of voting. No lawmaker will be allowed to stay neutral or boycott the election.
None of the parties have a majority of seats so the candidates need support from smaller parties to be elected.
Both the Maoists and the NC have intensified consultations with other political parties to gather support for their candidates. PTI
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