Former Maoist commander Pun elected vice-president

Kathmandu / October 31: Top of former Maoist combatant Nanda Bahadur Pun ‘Pasang’, who is also the senior leader of the UCPN (Maoist) party has been elected as vice-president garnering 325 votes out of 547 vote cast during election held at Lhotse Hall of parliament on Saturday.

After most of the political parties in the ruling coalition pledged their support to Pun, the victory of the former of deputy commander of the Maoist army was almost certain.

Amiya Kumar Yadav representing Nepali Congress, who was also in the race for the post of vice-president, received 212 votes, Speaker Onsari Gharti announced at the House. 10 votes were declared invalid. Of the total 596 lawmakers, 547 cast their votes in the vice-presidential election.

The lawmakers associated with the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) did not take part in both the presidential and vice-presidential elections after showing participation in the prime minister’s election.

Pun, the former commander of the People’s Liberation Army, was proposed by CPN-UML senior leader Jhalanath Khanal for the post of Vice-President while Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Chief Whip Dilnath Giri and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Democratic leader Yogendra Chaudhary seconded Khanal’s proposal.

As the chief of rebel army, Pun made a significant contribution in completion of the peace process including army integration. Pun had contested in the second Constituent Assembly elections from Kathmandu-4. He, however, was defeated by popular Nepali Congress leader Gagan Kumar Thapa.

Before his election to the post of Vice-President, he has never taken any office of benefit from the state. Paramananda Jha began his first term of office as the first Vice-President of Nepal on 23 July 2008 by taking the oath of office from former President Ram Baran Yadav.

Brief Profile of New Vice-President

Pun was born to father Ramsur and mother Mansura Pun of Rangsi-9, Rolpa, a remote district in the Midwestern region of the country, on Kartik 22, 2022 BS and is the second child among five sons and three daughters of the Pun couple.

He completed his lower secondary education in 2037 BS from a local Rangsi Lower Secondary School and was enrolled at the district headquarters-based Bal Kalyan Secondary for secondary schooling. He passed in the School Leaving Certificate examination from the Thabang-based school in 2042 BS and the Intermediate degree from the Dang-based Mahendra Multiple Campus in 2045 BS. He holds the Bachelor’s degree.

Leader Pun was attracted to the Communist ideology when he was just a 7th grader. He was influenced by the then his teacher and present UCPN (M) General Secretary Krishna Bahadur Mahagar into joining the active politics.

He also became a teacher at the school from where he completed his lower education- Rangsi based-school (now higher secondary school) for eight years since 2043 BS.

Once the Maoist’s revolution began in the country after 2052BS, he acted as Chief Commander of the People’s Liberation Army. Later, he played a significant role in the peace process.

Despite having a serious illness- renal failure, he refused to go abroad for advanced treatment but accepted treatment available within the country. Similarly, he had not enjoyed the post of political benefits. RSS