The CPN (Unified Socialist) has decided to give the party’s support to Nepali Congress’ presidential candidate Ram Chandra Paudel in the upcoming presidential election.

The decision was taken during the party’s central committee meeting on Wednesday.

“The party has decided to give its vote to Nepali Congress’ senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel in the upcoming presidential elections,” said Jagannath Khatiwada, head of the party’s publicity department. “The same has been relayed to all party members.”

Though the Unified Socialist took the official decision only on Wednesday, the party chair Madhav Kumar Nepal had already stood in favour of the Congress candidate as Nepal was one of those who proposed Paudel’s name while filing his candidacy on February 25.

However, they are yet to decide on whether they want to take part in the government or stay out of it.

“We are positive about taking part in the government, but have yet to make a decision to this effect,” Khatiwada added. “A new government won’t be formed before the presidential elections, so we still have time to think about it.”

A meeting of the Nepali Congress’ central work execution committee picked senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel as their candidate for the upcoming presidential elections on February 25.

Congress fielded its senior leader a day after eight political parties including the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) decided to support a Congress candidate in the election of President scheduled for March 9.

The Congress candidate will be supported by the CPN (Maoist Centre), the Janata Samajbadi Party, the Janamat Party, the Nagarik Unmukti Party, CPN (Unified Socialist), Loktantrik Samajbadi Party and Rastriya Janamorcha.

Another candidate Subas Nembang of CPN-UML, the second-largest party in the House of Representatives, has also contested for the post.