Monitoring Desk
KATHMANDU: Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday appointed Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ for the third time as the country’s new Prime Minister. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is also the chairman of the CPN-Maoist Centre.
Prachanda has been appointed as Nepal’s Prime Minister according to Article 76 Clause 2 of Nepal’s Constitution, a statement issued by the President’s Office stated.
The President had asked any member of the House of Representatives who could produce a majority with support from two or more political parties, as mentioned in Article 76 clause 2 of Nepal’s Constitution, to submit a claim for the post of the Prime Minister.
Prachanda submitted the claim before the President’s deadline expired at 5 pm on Sunday.
Prime Minister’s oath-taking ceremony
According to the President’s Office, the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-appointed Prime Minister Pushpa Dahal ‘Prachanda’ will take place at 4 pm on Monday.
Prachanda and CPN-UML chairman K P Sharma Oli, Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Ravi Lamichhane, Rashtriya Prajatantra Party chief Rajendra Lingden among other senior leaders, earlier went to the Office of the President with a proposal to appoint him as the new Prime Minister, sources said.
Prachanda has the support of 165 lawmakers in the 275-member House of Representatives, including RSP with 20, RPP with 14, CPN-UML with 78, CPN-MC with 32, Nagarik Unmukti Party with 3, JSP with 12, and Janamat with 6=.
Prachanda is appointed Nepal’s Prime Minister for the third time.
Born in Dhikurpokhari of district Kaski near Pokhara on 11 December 1954, Prachanda was underground for almost 13 years. He joined mainstream politics when the CPN-Maoist party adopted peaceful politics, ending a decade-long armed struggle.
From 1996 to 2006, he led the decade-long armed struggle that led to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Deal in November 2006.
Earlier, an important meeting was held at the residence of former prime minister Oli where the CPN-Maoist Centre and other political parties agreed to form a government under ‘Prachanda’s leadership.
There has been an understanding between Oli and Prachanda to lead the government on a rotation basis, and Oli agreed to make Pushpa Dahal Prachanda Prime Minister at the first chance per his demand.
“The Nepali Congress, although the largest party, failed to form a government according to Article 76(2) of Nepal’s Constitution within the deadline given by the President.
