Deuba elected Nepali Congress president

Three-time Prime Minister and Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has been elected the new president of the Himalayan country's largest democratic party.

He was elected at the 13th National General Convention of the Nepali Congres through runoff held on Monday, yhe Himalayan Times reported.

Deuba said that his election to the post has added to his responsibility.

"I got a responsibility to make the party strong and take initiatives to resolve problems of the country," he said.

He also said he was "confident that those who did not win would also support me. I will move ahead taking all, including Ram Chandra Paudel and Krishna Prasad Sitaula, together."

Deuba defeated Paudel, the acting president of the party, by 526 votes. He garnered 1,822 votes, while Paudel got 1,296 votes.

Deuba bagged 58 percent of votes to emerge victorious at the convention on Tuesday.

Deuba hails from Dadeldhura district of Nepal, and is elected to parliament from there.

The 12th General Convention had elected Sushil Koirala as the party's top leader. Koirala passed away on February 9, necessitating party president's election.