Governance experience suits me for president role’

Nepal’s President-elect Ram Chandra Paudel on Thursday said that he has experience in governance and the functioning of state mechanisms which makes him suitable for the new post.
Nepal’s President-elect, who was also former house speaker during the monarchy, said he has gained experience in governance and the functioning of state mechanisms. “I have earlier also undertaken various governmental roles. I also have been to the royal palaces during monarchy, became the house speaker, used to visit the palace once a week. That’s why, the role that I will undertake won’t be new for me. I also have been in meeting with former Presidents as well and also know the functionalities there. I am not new to the role and duties,” Paudel said after casting his vote earlier on Thursday.
Apart from being a former House Speaker, Paudel has spent over a decade in jail. He has, till now, become a lawmaker six times and minister five times. A senior leader of the Nepali Congress, Paudel had lost the intra-party election but now he has been elected the third president of the country. Paudel had the backing of 10 parties on Thursday’s election.
The vote weightage of a member of the federal parliament comprising the House of Representatives and the National Assembly is 79 while it is 48 for the provincial assembly members.
According to the officer, 313 federal lawmakers and 518 provincial assembly members cast their votes. A total of 14 federal Rastriya Prajatantra Party lawmakers and Prem Suwal of the Nepal Majdoor Kishaan Party did not take part in the voting.
The tenure of the outgoing president Bidya Devi Bhandari ends on 12 March.