UML Nominates Subash Chandra Nembang as their Presidential Candidate:


NC Nominates Ram Chandra Poudel as their Presidential Candidate:

“If hundreds of lawmakers collude and

endorse bills that harm Nepal,

the President has the right to reject it.”

 

Ram Chandra Poudel and Subash Chandra Nembang have been nominated as presidential candidates for the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML parties, respectively, for the upcoming presidential election in Nepal on 9th March.

 

Poudel is expected to win the election due to the support of the newly formed eight-party coalition. However, the UML has also chosen a strong candidate, leading to speculation that their president, KP Sharma Oli, may have some undisclosed plans to sway the election in their favor at the last minute.

 

This speculation is supported by the UML's decision to continue supporting the government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and their efforts to attract parties other than the Nepali Congress in the lead-up to the presidential election next week.

 

The NC, as the largest party in Parliament, was outsmarted by the UML, the second largest party, which broke its electoral partnership with the Maoists, the third largest party. The fact that all three parties were vying for the post of a ceremonial president highlights the cynical state of Nepali politics, with each party needing a compliant president to further their own agendas.

 

The major leaders currently in the political arena have been in and out of government for the past 17 years, with many of them being above 70 years of age and having been active in Nepali politics for even longer. Despite being the cause of Nepal's current state, they refuse to relinquish their hold on power.

 

This goes against the message of the 2022 elections, where Nepali voters expressed their desire for a generational change in leadership and a departure from traditional politics. Even though the new independent RSP has 19 seats in Parliament, the power struggle at the top is still following the old way of doing things.

 

Both Poudel and Nembang, who are former Speakers of the House of Representatives, submitted their nominations at the Federal Parliament Secretariat. Poudel's candidacy was supported by eight political parties, including the Nepali Congress, Maoist Center, Unified Samajwadi Party, Janata Samajwadi Party, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Loktantrik Samajwadi, and Rastriya Janamorcha, while no party came in support of Nembang. Poudel expressed hope that even the CPN-UML would support him as the President. Meanwhile, Nembang also hoped to become a consensus candidate for the post. Poudel was born on October 14, 1944, Tanahun, and is a graduate in Nepali Literature in Sanskrit, while Nembang was born on March 11, 1953, Ilam Municipality-7 and joined politics from All Nepal National Free Student Union.


Members of the House of Representatives, the National Assembly and the seven provincial assemblies will vote on 9th March 2023 to elect the new president of Nepal.