Bidhya Devi Bhandari was sworn in on Thursday as Nepal's first female president.
She was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha at a ceremony in the presidential palace Shital Niwas in the capital Kathmandu, according to Himalaya Times. Several dignitaries, including outgoing President Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Vice-President Paramananda Jha, were among at the ceremony.
Bhandari, a former communist leader and vice chairman of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN (UML), left her party position and responsibility before taking over as the country's new president, according to Kathmandu Post.
Fifty-four-year-old Bhandari defeated her rival Kul Bahadur Gurung of the Nepali Congress during a vote in the national Parliament on Wednesday. Bhandari received 327 votes, while Gurung managed to secure 214 votes. Agitating Madhesi and Tharo groups boycotted the presidential election. They continue to protest against the country's new constitution.
"I have been elected as the first female president as per the inclusive and proportional principles and we implemented the constitution," she told reporters, according to Asia News Network.
Bhandari's election comes after the adoption of a landmark constitution that took effect last month. Nepal's Parliament elected CPN (UML) chairman KP Sharma Oli as the new prime minister on Oct. 12 following the adoption of the constitution.
