KATHMANDU, April 2 -- The CPN-UML and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) have officially announced their respective candidates for the by-elections being held in three constituencies on April 23.

Organizing a program at the party office in Maharajganj, the RSP announced that the party president Rabi Lamichhane will contest the by-election from Chitwan 2, Dr Swarnim Wagle from Tanahun-1 and Ramesh Kharel from Bara-2.

Renowned economist Dr Wagle and former Deputy Inspector General of Nepal Police Ramesh Kharel joined the RSP only days ago. While Dr Wagle was with the Nepali Congress (NC), Kharel had formed his own party called Hamro Sushashan Party to contest the parliamentary election.

RSP President Lamichhane was elected as a member of the...