Kathmandu, January 3 A meeting of the Central Secretariat of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) today finalised candidates for the upcoming National Assembly elections slated for January 23. Among the notable names in the candidate list are NCP Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha and NCP Standing Committee member Bedu Ram Bhusal. Although there were talks of fielding Bam Dev Gautam in the elections, Gautam rejected the offer made by NCP co-chairpersons, according to party sources. A total of 19 NA seats will fall vacant on March 3. Of the 19 seats, one shall be appointed by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and the rest shall be elected on the basis of majority by an electoral college consisting of provincial assembly members and chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of the local levels. For the 18 NA seats, the ruling NCP (NCP) has decided to field only 16 candidates as it has forged an electoral alliance with Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, offering the remaining two seats in Province-2. The chosen ones Province 1

• Indu Gautam (woman)
• Gopi Achhami (Dalit)
• Devendra Dahal (others)

• Tulasa Dahal (woman)
• Radheshyam Paswan (Dalit)

• Ganga Belbase (woman)
• Beduram Bhusal (others)

• Narayan Kaji Shrestha (others)
• Bhagawati Neupane (woman)

• Bimala Ghimire (woman)
• Jag Prasad Sharma (differently-abled, minority)
• Gopal Bhattarai (others)

• Maya Prasad Sharma (others)
• Sumitra BC (woman)

• Tara Man Swor (others)
• Sharada Bhatta (woman)