KATHMANDU: Sajha Party said on Saturday that its central member Ramesh Maharjan and Shobha Shakya will contest the elections for mayor and deputy mayor respectively in Lalitpur Metropolitan City as independent candidates.

Maharjan (53) is a jeweller by profession and is a member of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce's executive committee, according to the Sajha Party.

He is currently leading a project to reconstruct as many as 100 houses in Pilanchhen of Patan, which was hit hard by the April 2015 earthquake, with traditional Newari architect. Also, he is affiliated with the Lumbini Buddhist University and various social organisations.

Likewise, Shakya is the vice-chair of Shakya Simha Vihar in Patan and runs a wool factory that provides employment to more than 500 women in the Patan Industrial Area, the Sajha Party said.

The 54-year-old has worked for women empowerment through various organisations, the party said.

Sajha Party has already pitched architect and former secretary Kishore Thapa as the mayoral candidate in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and Nirupama Yadav as the candidate for the post of deputy mayor.