President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s bid for a second term is all but certain to be successful after CPN-UML central committee meet­ing decided this week to nominate her for the position. Two factors seemed to have worked in Bhandari’s favor—that she is close to Prime Minister KP Oli and that she has only served two years in office (the constitution stipulates the President’s tenure to be five years long). Former prime minister and senior UML leader Jhala Nath Khanal was also an aspirant to the post.

 

Following the UML central com­mittee decision, Bhandari filed her candidacy for presidency with the election officer at the federal par­liament. Her candidacy was pro­posed by senior UML leaders Mad­hav Kumar Nepal, Subas Nembang, Iswor Pokhrel and Maoist leader Onsari Gharti.

 

The presidential election is slated for March 13. Bhandari’s victory is almost certain as the ruling coalition led by the UML holds a majority in the federal as well as the provincial assemblies whose members will vote in the election.