Former Maoist guerrilla leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda elected as next prime minister of Nepal
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) leader joined hands with his rival and former Prime Minister KP Oli to form the new government.
Former Maoist guerrilla leader who led a decade-long insurgency against Nepal’s Hindu monarchy, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, was appointed as the country’s next prime minister on Sunday, reported Reuters.
After last month’s election concluded in a hung parliament, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) leader joined hands with his rival and former Prime Minister KP Oli of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist.
The Nepali Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats in the general elections, while Oli’s party won 78 seats and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre had won 32 seats, reported The Indian Express.
The new alliance was formed after Prachanda walked out of a coalition with the Nepali Congress as incumbent Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba refused to back him up as his successor, reported Reuters. He went on to form the alliance with Oli’s party and claimed the support of 170 legislators from six parties and four Independents, in the 275-member House.
Prachanda will step down in 2025 for a leader from the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist to take over the post, reported Reuters. “This is the understanding,” Dev Gurung, the general secretary of Prachanda’s Maoist Centre party told Reuters after a meeting of the new coalition. “Remaining work of distribution of key other posts and ministries is still to be worked out.”
This is the third time Prachanda will be holding the office of prime minister. The 68-year-old leader will be taking the oath on Monday.