A total of eight political parties have agreed to support the Nepali Congress candidate in the presidential election scheduled for March 9. Nepali Congress, the largest party in the House of Representatives, is yet to pick its candidate.

The meeting held at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Friday evening decided to support the Congress candidate, said Purna Bahadur Khadka, Nepali Congress vice-president.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had proposed to elect the President from Congress.

The Congress candidate will be supported by four ruling parties—the CPN (Maoist Centre), the Janata Samajbadi Party, the Janamat Party and the Nagarik Unmukti Party, while the three parties in the opposition— the CPN (Unified Socialist), Loktantrik Samajbadi Party and Rastriya Janamorcha—will also support the party for its presidential bid.

The agreement has been forged a day ahead of the filing of candidacy for the new president. The Election Commission has scheduled for 10am to 3pm on Saturday for the nomination.

Two senior Congress leaders- Ram Chandra Paudel and Krishna Prasad Sitaula- have emerged as frontrunners as candidates for the post of President.