Maoist Chief Prachanda Elected as Nepal’s Prime Minister

This will be Prachanda’s second term as Prime Minister, after his party won national elections in 2008.

The then Chairman of UCPN-Maoist, Prachanda during a rally in Kathmandu. (Photo: Reuters)

The Nepali parliament elected former Maoist rebel chief Prachanda as prime minister on Wednesday after predecessor KP Oli resigned rather than face defeat in a vote of no confidence. Prachanda led a decade-long insurgency that toppled a Hindu monarchy,

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, 61, who still uses a nom de guerre that means “Fierce”, won 363 votes out of the 573 cast in the 595-member parliament, Speaker Onsari Gharti said.

He became the 24th prime minister in 26 years since the Himalayan nation adopted multi-party democracy in 1990 and the eighth since the 239-year-old monarchy was abolished eight years ago.

This will be the 61-year-old Prachanda’s second turn as premier after his party of former guerrilla fighters won national elections in 2008.

Analysts say the return of Prachanda, who has lost his former Robin Hood image dating back to the insurgency, was unlikely to end the revolving-door politics that has sapped business confidence in one of the world’s poorest countries.

I don’t think he will be stable. There is no agreement between parties on a basic agenda for the country. They have only agreed for convenience and there is already a deal to change the prime minister after nine months.

Guna Raj Luitel, Editor, Nagarik

The Indian Prime Minister also congratulated the newly-elected Prime Minister and extended an invitation to him to visit India.

Prachanda told Modi that he will work in close cooperation with India.

Prime Minister called on Prachanda immediately after his election as the Nepal Prime Minister and congratulated him, besides extending an invitation to visit India.

Jhak Bahadur Mahara, Prachanda’s secretary

(With inputs from Reuters and IANS.)