KATHMANDU, Jan 24: Major political parties including CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center) and Nepali Congress (NC) have finalized most of their candidates for the National Assembly (NA) polls slated for February 7. 

The parties have picked their candidacies as per the requirement to ensure representation of women, Dalit, a person from minority community or disabled person for eight members of upper house from each province to be elected through single transferable voting system. 

There are 59 members in the upper house. While eight members each from seven provinces will be elected under single transferable voting system, the remaining three will be appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the cabinet. 

The UML has finalized its candidates from all seven provinces. According to the party leaders, the UML has picked Nain Kamal Ojha (woman), Khem Nepali (Dalit), Haricharan Shiwakoti (open), Parashuram Meghi Gurung (open) and Agam Bantawa (minority) from Province 1 as upper house candidates and Suman Pyakurel (open) from Province 2. 

Similarly, it has finalized the candidacies of Parwati Rawal (woman), Udaya Sharma (woman), Singha Bahadur BK (Dalit), Balaram Banskota (open), Beduram Bhusal (open) and Ram Chandra Rai Danuwar (minority) from Province 3. UML’s candidates for the National Assembly election from Province 5 include Ram Lakhan Harijan (Dalit), Khim Lal Bhattarai (open), Meena Budha (woman), Komal Oli (woman). 

The party has decided to field candidacies of Kabita Bogati (woman), Nanda Sharma (woman), Narapati Loha (Dalit), Bhairav Sundar Shrestha (open) and Thagendra Puri (open) from Province 6. Kamala Oli (woman), Indu Kaderiya Bista (woman), Sher Bahadur Kunwar (open), Chakra Prasad Snehi (Dalit) are among the candidates chosen by the UML for National Assembly poll from Province 7. 

A meeting of the NC’s office bearers at Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s official residence in Baluwatar was underway till late Tuesday to finalize the list of candidates from provinces 1, 2 and 3.

Meanwhile, the NC has reached an agreement with Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal to share two candidates each for their parties in Province 2. The left alliance shall back the remaining two candidates. 

The NC has decided to field candidacies of Surendra Raj Pandey (others), Brinda Rana Magar (woman), Jit Bahadur Nepal (Dalit) and Prakash Pant (disabled) from Province 4. Durga Prasad Upadhyay (other), Anita Devkota (woman), Maiku Lal Balmiki (Dalit) and Lut Bahadur Khatri (disabled) are among the candidates of the party for the National Assembly poll from Province 5. 

Likewise, NC has picked Bishnu Bahadur Shahi (open), Surya Devi Malla (woman), Sitaram BK (Dalit) and Gopal Prasad Sharma (Dalit) from Province 6 and Badri Pandey (open), Tara Devi Bhatta (woman), Sheri Ram Parki (Dalit) and Chhatra Raj Joshi (disabled) from Province 7 as its candidates from Province 7. 

Maoist Center has also finalized the list of 14 National Assembly candidates. According to the party sources, the party has picked Bina Pokharel (woman) from Province 1 and Shashi Kala Dahal (woman) from Province 2. Likewise, Ram Bahadur Thapa (open) and Ganga Parajuli (woman) have been picked up from Province 3, Dina Nath Sharma (open) from Province 4 and Raj Kumar Kunwar (minority/disabled) and Chandra Bahadur  Khadka (open) from Province 5. 

Jiban Budha (minority/disabled), Yutul Lama (woman) and Kali Bahadur Malla (open) are the Maoist candidates from Province 6 and Laliram Lohar (Dalit), Hari Ram Chaudhary (open) are from Province 7. The party leaders said they are yet to name one woman candidate from Province 2.

 
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• cpn (maoist center)
 
• nepali congress (nc)
 
• national assembly (na) polls february 7