Siraha, April 28 The CPN-UML has recommended its candidates for the upcoming local election for 16 of the total 17 local bodies in Siraha and all the names recommended for the top posts are males. The party said posts of deputies have been reserved for females. While the party has recommended Muni Sah, the only female, for the post of mayor in Lahan Municipality, Uttar Bahadur Gargha Magar, Shiva Shankar Mahato and Bagalu Mahato are the names recommended for the top post of Dhangadhimai Municipality. Similarly, Yogendra Prasad Singh, Darmanath Mahato and Shyam Shrestha have been recommended for mayoral post of Gol Bazaar Municipality. The party has recommended Shiva Shankar Yadav, Ramananda Mandal and Rabindra Sah as mayoral candidates for Siraha Municipality. Ram Autar Yadav and Ram Pukar Sah have been recommended for Sukhipur and Kalyanpur municipalities respectively, and Rameshwor Sah, Pradip Mahaseth and Jaman Yadav for Mirchaiya Municipality. Candidates for the post of chairperson and vice-chairperson for 10 out of 11 rural municipalities have also been recommended. The party has yet to nominate candidates for Aurahi Rural Municipality. UML district secretary Yogendra Prasad Singh said male candidates were recommended as there were no female candidates willing to fight for the top posts. “Election Commission has made it mandatory that a female candidate is fielded for the post of the chief or deputy chief of the local bodies, but what can we do when women were interested only in the post of deputies?” he asked. A female UML leader whose name has been recommended for the second top post at a local body said she opted for the deputy’s post as there was tough competition for the top post. “As there is tough competition for the top position, I opted for the post of the deputy,” she said. Siraha has a total of 331,596 voters. It has a total of 426 voting centres.