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The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, one of the coalition partners in the incumbent government, has called its central execution committee meeting today to decide the issue of the presidential election. The meeting will dwell on the issue of the selection of the presidential candidate and of whether or not the party will participate in the election process, said party leader Rajaram Shrestha. There are differences within the party on the issue of the presidential poll as some leaders have suggested that the party should remain neutral on the matter stating that the subject is not a main concern and priority to establish the party's agenda. The meeting will be held at 1 pm, he said. The issues of latest political incidents developed post elections and current subjects would be also discussed. On the occasion, the party would be informed about its condition across the country, its organization strengthening plan and suggestions from its various provincial meetings, he said. The Election Commission has fixed the date of the presidential poll on March 9. Similarly, the candidacy nomination registration is scheduled for February 25.  

Minister for Health and Population Padam Giri, who is in Switzerland to participate in the Fifth Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety, met World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the latter's office. On the occasion, the minister thanked the WHO for its contribution to the health sector of Nepal. He praised the United Nations agency for its contribution by providing COVID-19 vaccines, in controlling, containing and eliminating various types of diseases including polio, and cholera post the 2015 earthquake, and in neonatal health. He took up the matter of mutual cooperation and expansion of activities related to non-infectious diseases, mental health and stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems for biomedical applications, it has been said. The meeting also discussed the matter of the construction of the WHO coordination center, strengthening the National Public Health Laboratory, and the continuous assistance for boosting efficiency for the implementation of the International Health Regulations, said the minister's private secretary Laxman Giri.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba held a meeting on Thursday. Congress President had reached Baluwatar this morning to meet Prime Minister Dahal. During the meeting, they discussed the presidential election. According to a Baluwatar source, the duo discussed the possible candidate for the presidential election from the Nepali Congress. The Nepali Congress has put forward the names of senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel and Krishna Prasad Sitaula. Earlier on Wednesday, the Congress leaders including President Deuba discussed the issue of presidential election with the Prime Minister. During the meeting with Prime Minister Dahal, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli floated a proposal to make CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Nepal the new President. Prime Minister Dahal and Nepali Congress President Deuba are exercising to reinstate the five-party alliance formed before the election. Dahal, who was appointed as the Prime Minister on December 26, had made an agreement to make the UML candidate the new President. But, after the Nepali Congress gave a vote of confidence to Prime Minister Dahal, he has been saying that the President should be appointed based on consensus.  

The Tibetan community of Nepal celebrated their new year, Lhosar, in the presence of members of the diplomatic community. The Tibetan community celebrated their new year 2150 (Rabbit Year) in Jawalakhel ground on Thursday. The new year of Tibetans started on Tuesday. On the occasion, they worshiped the portrait of their religious leader Dalai Lama. US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R Thompson, Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk and Swiss Ambassador to Nepal Elisabeth von Capeller among representatives of various diplomatic missions were present in the program.