Nepal has successor for King Gyanendra

King Gyanendra of Nepal finally has a successor. Nepal's constitutional assembly on Monday elected the new republic's first president, Ram Baran Yadav, who defeated a candidate backed by the former communist rebels _ the largest political party.

Senior leaders of the former rebels, formally known as Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), warned after the results were announced they would withdraw plans to form the new government.

Ram Baran Yadav, a physician from the Madheshi ethnic community in southern Nepal, which has been campaigning for greater rights and more say in the administration, is member of the Nepali Congress, the party led by outgoing prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

Yadav's victory was a blow for the Maoists, who won the most seats in the assembly in April elections and hope to form the country's new government. "We have been forced to change our plans to form the new government. We have to rethink our plans because of the new developments, which have ended the basis for further agreements with the other parties", said Chandra Prakash Gajurel, a senior leader.

Yadav received 308 votes, giving him the majority of votes in the 594-seat assembly that was required to win. Ramraja Singh, the candidate of the former rebels received 282. Six members were not present. Yadav has served twice as health minister and has been elected twice to parliament.

He received the most votes in the initial voting for president on Saturday, but none of the three candidates was able to secure the required majority. Since the dissolution of the monarchy, the assembly has been unable to form a new government because of bickering among the main parties over forming a ruling coalition. © GPD AP