Bhandari elected first woman president of Nepal

October 29: Vice-chairperson of CPN-UML, Bidya Devi Bhandari was elected the President of Nepal in an election held in the Legislature-Parliament on Wednesday. Bhandari became the second President of republic Nepal and the first woman elected to the post.

Bhandari who stood in the election as the consensus candidate of the ruling alliance defeated Nepali Congress candidate Kul Bhadur Gurung. Bhandari received 327 votes while Gurung got 214 votes.

Out of the total 597 lawmakers, 549 voted in the election. Forty-seven MPs were absent.

Bhandari was Population and Environment Minister in 1997 and Defence Minister in 2010.