Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel on Saturday filed his candidacy for the presidential election at the Office of the Election Officer at New Baneshwar.

Poudel’s candidacy was proposed by Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal, Maoist Centre’s Senior vice-chair Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Federal Council Chairman of Janata Samajbadi Party Ashok Rai and Abdul Khan of Janamat Party.

The candidacy was seconded by President of Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Mahanta Thakur, Congress vice-president Purna Bahadur Khadka, Nagarik Unmukti Party Chairperson Ranjita Shrestha, Chairman of the Rastriya Janamorcha Chitra Bahadur KC and Maoist Centre’s Hitraj Pandey.

Earlier today, Congress picked Poudel as its presidential candidate after eight political parties including the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) decided to support Congress candidate in the election of President scheduled for March 9.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML’s vice-chair Subas Nembang also filed his candidacy for the presidential election.

Nembang’s candidacy was proposed by UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, Deputy General Secretary Prithvi Subba Gurung, secretaries Gokarna Raj Bista, Raghubir Mahaseth, and Chhabilal Bishwakarma.

Other leaders of the same party Yogesh Bhattarai, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Juli Kumari Mahaseth, Dil Kumari Rawal Thapa, and Aman Kumar Maskey have seconded the proposal.

A meeting of the CPN-UML’s central secretariat this morning took the decision to field party vice-chair Nembang as its presidential candidate.