The CPN-UML on Saturday finalised its candidates for Tanahun and Chitwan for the April 23 by-elections.

A secretariat meeting of the party decided to field former Nepal Police chief Sarbendra Khanal in Tanahun-1 and Ram Prasad Neupane in Chitwan-2, said UML deputy general secretary Prithvi Subba Gurung.

Neupane is the Chitwan district chapter chairman of UML. Regional and district committees of the party on Friday had unanimously forwarded Neupane’s name to the central leadership for approval.

Former Inspector General of Police Khanal had lost to Shishir Khanal of the Rastriya Swatantra Party in Kathmandu-6 in the last year’s federal polls by a margin of 5,293 votes.

UML is yet to pick its candidate for Bara-2.

“We have felt the need for further discussion in connection with finalising the candidate for Bara-2,” said Gurung.

Chairman KP Sharma Oli will pick a candidate for the constituency after discussing with the party's senior vice chairman, general secretary and district leaders, said Gurung, adding the party will field its candidates in all three constituencies.

The Nepali Congress has already decided to field Govinda Bhattarai in Tanahun-1 and Jeet Narayan Shrestha in Chitwan-2. The party has decided to support the Janata Samajbadi Party candidate in Bara-2.

Likewise, the Swatantra Party has decided to field Swarnim Wagle in Tanahun-1, the party’s President Rabi Lamichhane in Chitwan-2 and Ramesh Kharel in Bara-2. Nepal Sushasan Party chairman Kharel will contest the upcoming by-elections from the constituency under the Swatantra Party election symbol.

The seats in Tanahun and Bara became vacant after Ramchandra Paudel and Ramsahay Prasad Yadav got elected President and Vice President respectively.

Likewise, Chitwan-2 became vacant after Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane, who was elected from the constituency last November, lost his lawmaker status as his citizenship certificate was invalidated by the Supreme Court in January.