Kathmandu, March 9 : Senior Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel was elected as the third president of Nepal on Thursday. Backed by ruling alliance and supported by nine political parties, Poudel defeated veteran communist leader Subash Chandra Nembang who was solely backed by the CPN-UML. Poudel secured 33,802 electoral college votes. As many as 214 federal lawmakers and 352 provincial lawmakers voted for Poudel, according to the Election Commission of Nepal. Another candidate, Nembang bagged 15,518 Electoral College votes. As many as 96 federal and 162 provincial lawmakers voted in his favour. Poudel, 79, the former speaker and deputy prime minister and veteran democratic leader has been active in politics since six decades. This is the third presidential election in Nepal since the country became a republic in 2008. The tenure of outgoing President Bidhya Devi Bhandari ends on March 12. /IANS