NOVANEWS
Deuba previously served as prime minister from 1995 to 1997, 2001 to 2002 and 2004 to 2005. | Photo: Reuters
On Sunday the president of the Nepali Congress party Sher Bahadur Deuba was the sole candidate contesting the position of prime minister.
According to Xinhua, all nominees were required to register candidacy at the parliament secretariat by Saturday. But, after the deadline expired, Deuba was found to be the only candidate to have filed his nomination. An official statement from the secretariat confirmed that Deuba will be the only candidate in the prime minister race on Sunday.
Deuba previously served as prime minister from 1995 to 1997, 2001 to 2002 and 2004 to 2005.
Following the failure of the major parties to form a consensus government, President Bidya Devi Bhandari called for the country to form a new government on the basis of majority votes.
Deuba needs 297 votes in the 593-member parliament to win. His Nepali Congress party currently holds 207 seats while the closest rival, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), has 82 seats.
Early reports from the media revealed that Deuba was on track to becoming the prime minister based on majority votes in the House.
The resignation of former prime minister and leader of the Communist Party of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal – also known as Prachanda, on May 24 prompted the election.
