Bhandari re-elected Nepal's President

Kathmandu, March 13 (IANS) Bidya Devi Bhandari was on Tuesday re-elected President of Nepal for a second term.

Bhandari was candidate of the ruling Left Alliance supported by two major Madhesi parties. She defeated Kumari Laxmi Rai of Nepali Congress, the main opposition party.

In the election held on Monday, Bhandari mustered 39,275 votes while her rival candidate Rai garnered 11,730 votes, Election Commission spokesperson Nawaraj Dhakal said.

CPN-UML leader Bhandari was elected as the first woman President of Nepal for the first time on October 28, 2015.

Bhandari, widow of late communist leader Madan Bhandari, was active in politics since her school days. She, however, came to the limelight only after the untimely demise of her husband in a road accident.

She was elected twice in parliamentary elections in 1994 and 1999 and is a former Defence Minister of the country too.

Her influence in ruling CPN-UML remained dominant when she was elected Vice Chairperson in the party's eighth general convention held in Butwal. 

Bhandari, who retained her Vice Chairperson position in the party's general convention, is considered as one of the confidantes of party Chairman and Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.