KATHMANDU, Feb 28: At a time when the party's establishment faction is in favor of continuing with the current president, a senior leader of the CPN-UML has said that the presidential candidate will be finalized after holding negotiations with the CPN (Maoist Center). 

Speaking at an interaction organized by the Reporters' Club here Tuesday, UML Vice Chairman Bhim Rawal said that they have not yet finalized the presidential candidate. "We have not yet decided the presidential candidate. We will hold discussions about this in the standing committee. We will also hold discussions with the Maoist Center. A final decision is yet to be made," he said. 

The election for president is scheduled for March 13. Rawal's remark comes in the wake of some within the CPN-UML expressing strong reservations over giving a second term to the current president.

Earlier, the UML and Maoist Center reached an agreement to elect the president from the UML and the speaker from  Maoist Center. Party insiders said a faction within the UML wants to field former chairman and ex-prime minister Jhala Nath Khanal as the candidate for new president. 

 
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