Nepal votes for first president

KATHMANDU: Lawmakers in Nepal were voting Saturday for the country’s first elected head of state following the abolition of its Hindu monarchy, paving the way for the dominant Maoists to form a government.

The leader of the Maoists, Prachanda, was among the first to vote shortly before noon and told reporters he was sure his party’s choice would be the country’s new head of state, with an announcement expected later Saturday.

The Maoists are backing die-hard republican Ramraja Prasad Singh, arrested two decades ago for throwing small bombs at parliament and the palace as part of an anti-royal protest.

The country has been stuck in political limbo after a landmark meeting of a newly elected constitutional assembly sacked unpopular king Gyanendra and abolished the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy on May 28.

Interim Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has since resigned, but with no one in power to accept his resignation, he has lingered on as a weak caretaker.

Meanwhile, the former rebels—who dominate but do not have a majority in the 601-member assembly—have been unable to muster enough support from two other parties to form a new government.

After failing to agree on who should become president, the three main parties each put forward a candidate. Voting by 594 lawmakers was taking place Saturday by secret ballot, with a simple majority of 298 needed to win.

The three men in the running are ethnic Mahadhesis who hail from the troubled lowland area bordering India known as the Terai, where demands for an autonomous federal state have seen frequent deadly clashes.

Political analysts have said Singh, 73, is the favourite to win, although he is not a member of the Maoist party.