The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Katmandu

Nepal's governing assembly elected the country's first president Monday, rejecting a candidate backed by former Maoist rebels and creating political uncertainty for the new republic.

The Constituent Assembly elected 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, assembly Chairman Kul Bahadur Gurung announced.

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 with one of their members as prime minister. But they first need to form a coalition government since they failed to win a simple majority in the assembly.