Ram Chandra Poudel elected as Nepal's third President

Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepali Congress has been elected as the third President of Nepal. Poudel, who was the common candidate of an eight-party alliance that included Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Center), received the vote of 214 lawmakers of parliament and 352 provincial assembly members.

The election was held on March 9, 2023, and was conducted by the Election Commission of Nepal. The total number of voters for the presidential election was 882, consisting of 332 Members of Parliament and 550 members of the provincial assemblies of the seven provinces.

Shaligram, the spokesperson of the Election Commission, said that 518 Provincial Assembly members and 313 Members of the Federal Parliament cast their votes in the presidential election.

After the results were announced, Nepali Congress chief Sher Bahadur Deuba congratulated Poudel and tweeted, "Hearty congratulations to my friend Ram Candra Poudelji for being elected as the President."

This is the third presidential election in Nepal since the country became a republic in 2008. The previous two presidents were Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Ram Baran Yadav.

Poudel, who has been actively involved in politics for over three decades, was born in 1951 in the Tanahun district of Nepal. He has served as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Foreign Affairs in the past.

During his election campaign, Poudel emphasized the need for unity among political parties and the importance of good governance for the country's development.

His election as the President is being seen as a victory for the Nepali Congress and the eight-party alliance. 
The Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Center) have been critical of the ruling party's handling of the country's political and economic affairs. They have accused the government of failing to deliver on its promises and of suppressing dissent.

Poudel's election as the President is expected to bring stability to the political situation in Nepal and to pave the way for the opposition parties to mount a serious challenge to the ruling party in the upcoming elections.