President Bidya Devi Bhandari has stressed the need for unity among the parties for ensuring free and fair elections to the federal and provincial parliaments.

At a reception organised for leaders of different parties at Sheetal Niwas on the occasion of Deepawali, Nepal Sambat and Chhath, President Bhandari urged all the parties for unity so as to resolve the problems facing the country.

During her brief speech, she expressed her joy at the increasing support for the prime minister to ensure that the elections are held in a free and fair manner.

Despite rumours that PM Sher Bahadur Deuba’s move to expand the Cabinet could spark a conflict, President Bhandari administered the oath of office to newly appointed ministers from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

According to the President’s secretariat, the meeting was attended by PM Deuba, UML leader KP Sharma Oli, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, RPP chief and Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa, another DPM Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar and former prime ministers, among others.