Kathmandu, Mar 13 (PTI) Ramsahay Yadav, a leader from the Madhes region, is set to become Nepal's next Vice President after the eight-party ruling alliance decided to back him for the post.

The election for the post of Vice President is scheduled to take place on March 17.

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Apart from Janata Samajwadi Party's Yadav, 52, CPN-UML Vice Chairperson Ashta Laxmi Shakya and Mamata Jha from Janamat Party are also vying for the post to succeed Nanda Kishor Pun.

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Pramila Kumari Yadav, another vice presidential candidate from Janata Samajwadi Party, withdrew her nomination on Monday.

“As an intellectual and mature candidate having spotless and simple character, Ramsahay Yadav is the most suitable, qualified and capable candidate for the dignified post,” she wrote in the statement. “

Though technically my name has been included in the list of Vice Presidential candidates, I hereby, announce the withdrawal of my candidacy in support of him,” she said.

Though Jha from Janamat Party also belongs to the eight-party ruling alliance, the coalition decided to vote in favour of Ramsahay, according to Ganesh Shah, secretary of the ruling CPN-Maoist Centre.

With the support of the ruling alliance, Ramsahay, a leader from the Madhes region, is almost certain to become the new Vice President.

The Madhesi community in Nepal's southern Terai region is mostly of Indian origin.

Like the President, the Vice President is elected by an electoral college comprising the members of the Federal Parliament (House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the Provincial Assembly.

The Election Commission has published the names of 882 voters for the vice-presidential election. The total weightage of the votes of the 332 voters of the Federal Parliament and 550 voters of the Provincial Assembly adds up to 52,628, thus requiring a candidate to bag at least 26,315 votes to win the election.

In the event that no candidate gets a majority, there is a provision for a revote between the two candidates with the most votes.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)