By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Sept.17:  President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Thursday nominated Bamdev Gautam, vice chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), to the National Assembly member.

After a long dispute in the ruling party, powerful politician Gautam, who had lost the election of the House of Representatives in 2017, has finally succeeded to enter the parliament as a nominated member to the Upper House.

The post had remained vacant for six months after the term of Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada expired in March.

Earlier on September 14, the Council of Ministers had decided to recommend his name for the vacant seat of the 59-member National Assembly and on Monday his name was sent to the President for his nomination.

A party secretariat meeting, of which Gautam is a member, had decided to send Gautam to the Upper House.

National Assembly chair Ganesh Prasad Timalsina administered the oath of the post to Gautam this evening.

Meanwhile, newly appointed National Assembly member Bamdev Gautam had expressed his commitment to maintaining the prestige of the Upper House. Talking to the media persons after taking the oath, he said that as a NA member he would honestly work to realise the spirit of socialism in the country.

With Gautam’s nomination, the NA now has two powerful leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party, Gautam himself and party spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha. Shrestha who had also lost 2017 election was elected to the NA in March this year.