Ram Baran Yadav becomes Nepal's first President

Kathmandu, July 21 (ANI): Nepali Congress (NC) candidate Dr Ram Baran Yadav has become the first President of the Republic of Nepal.

According to Nepalnews, Dr. Yadav bagged 308 votes while his rival Ram Raja Prasad Singh, who was backed by the Maoists, ended up with 282 votes.

Yadav was backed by the CPN (UML), the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, the CPN (ML), the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, CPN (United), the Rastriya Janamorcha, the Rastriya Janashakti Party and a few other fringe parties.

Dr Yadav is also the General Secretary of Nepali Congress while Maoist candidate Singh is seen as veteran republican leader.

According to the Election Commissioner's office, 590 out of 594 lawmakers had cast their votes in the President poll run-off.

The National People's Front Nepal, the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, the CPN-United and the Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party who had previously boycotted the Saturday's election participated in today's poll.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, who has four Constituent Assembly members, refrained from the poll run-off today as well. (ANI)