Physician elected first president of Nepal

KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) -- Almost two months after Nepal was declared a republic, lawmakers Monday voted Ram Baran Yadav, a physician, as its first ever president.

Yadav, who is in his 60s, was declared the president in a runoff election after none of the three candidates could get a majority in the first round held on Saturday, announced Kul Bahadur Gurung, chairman of the constituent assembly.

Yadav was the general secretary of the Nepali Congress party and belongs to the ethnic minority Madhesi group from Nepal's troubled southern region.

"As constitutional president, my role will be one of coordinating between the various parties," Yadav said before he was declared the winner.

"I will work for the sovereignty, integrity and independence of Nepal," he said. "I want to bring an end to violence and end to communal politics."

He beat his rival Ram Raja Prasad Singh, 73, chosen by the former rebel group Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) by 308 votes to 282 votes of the constituent assembly, for which elections were held in April.

Although the Maoists are the biggest party in the constituent assembly, an alliance of Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), the Madhesi Janadhikar (People's Rights) Forum and several smaller parties came together in the presidential vote Monday.

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