The Maoist chairman is contesting from Kathmandu constituency besides another seat in Rolpa district, a Maoist stronghold.

Besides Prachanda, senior leader of his party Baburam Bhattarai, Nepali Congress leader and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Nepal, former speaker of the Parliament Subhash Nemwang, Sadbhavana Party president Rajendra Mahato are contesting under the direct voting system.

Terai Madhes Democratic Party chief Mahanta Thakur and pro-monarchist RPP-Nepal president Kamal Thapa are also in the fray.

Three main Terai parties, spearheading violent agitation for greater political rights for the Madhesis in the southern plains, have recently entered a peace pact with government.

The 84-year-old Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is not contesting under the proportionate voting system. Koirala's daughter Sujata is pitted against heavyweight president of Madhesi People's Rights Forum Upendra Yadav.

Two separate ballot papers are being provided for proportionate and direct voting systems. In Kathmandu constituency-1, Electronic Voting Machines are being used for the first time.

The results of polling in this constituency are expected to be announced on the same day whereas in the other constituencies the results may come in 2-3 weeks.

Image: Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala casts his vote at a polling station in Biratnagar constituency number 7, some 200 km from Kathmandu on Thursday.

Photograph: Strel/AFP/Getty Images