Managing Director of Birgunj-based National Medical College and Teaching Hospital Basharuddin Ansari has joined CPN-UML on Monday.

UML Standing Committee member and Province 2 in-charge Satya Narayan Mandal and Central Committee Member Raghuveer Mahaseth welcomed Ansari, a former member of CPN (Maoist Centre), in the party amid a ceremony held here on Monday.

According to party sources, Ansari was roped in by the main-opposition party with the commitment of fielding him as the mayoral candidate of recently formed Birgunj Metropolitan City.

Likewise, members from Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, Nepali Congress, among other parties, were also welcomed during the programme.