Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is back as the Prime Minister of Nepal for the third time. President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday appointed ‘Prachanda’ as the new Prime Minister. Prachanda is likely to take oath on Monday.
Earlier in the day, the 68-year-old ‘Prachanda’, met former Nepal PM and president of the party KP Sharma Oli after a meeting of the ruling coalition, which was held with the intention of coming to an agreement on the formation of the government. At the meeting Nepali Congress president and his Prachanda’s predecessor did not accede to his demand of making him the PM. Prachanda then quit the five-party alliance led by Nepali Congress, bringing down the government.
This is Prachanda’s third term as the PM of Nepal, having served in the office in 2008-09 and 2016-17. He reportedly has the support of more than half of 275 members of the newly elected House of Representatives of Parliament.
Prachanda, along with CPN-UML chairman K P Sharma Oli, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) president Ravi Lamichhane, Rastriya Prajatantra Party chief Rajendra Lingden among other top leaders earlier went to the President’s Office with a proposal to appoint him as the new Prime Minister, sources said.
According to sources, Prachanda and Oli reached an understanding earlier in the day to lead the government on a rotation basis. Oli on Sunday reportedly agreed to Prachanda’s demand of making him the Prime Minister first.
Prachanda’s claim to the PM’s post is supported by of 165 lawmakers in the House of Representatives. The list of his supporters includes CPN-UML with 78 MPs, CPN-MC with 32, RSP with 20, RPP with 14, JSP with 12, Janamat with 6 and Nagarik Unmukti Party with 3.
(With inputs from PTI.)
