The main opposition CPN-UML has finalised its candidates for the Birgunj Metropolitan City and two other sub-metropolises Kalaiya and Jitpur Simara for the upcoming local level elections in Province 2.

A Standing Committee meeting chaired by UML chief KP Sharma Oli on Saturday decided to field Basharuddin Ansari, Binod Shah and Krishna Poudel as the party’s mayoral candidates in Birgunj, Kalaiya and Jitpur Simara, respectively.

Sophiya Acharya (Birgunj), Pratima Yadav (Kalaiya) and Saraswati Chaudhary (Jitpur Simara) have been chosen to run for the posts of deputy mayor. With this, the party is nearing completion of choosing candidates for almost all the local councils in the eight Tarai districts where the vote is scheduled for September 18.

Province 2 has one metropolis, three sub-metropolises, 73 municipalities and 59 Rural Municipalities. According to the UML, the process of nominating candidates is going on smoothly as the district committees have already decided probable candidates for the local government positions.

Of the 136 local units, recommendation for nominations in 116 units was completed last week.

Candidates for municipalities and Rural Municipalities were recommended by the party’s respective district committees.