Former Maoist chief Prachanda was on Wednesday elected by lawmakers as Nepal's prime minister for a second time. His elevation is expected to bring much-needed political stability in the country, bogged down by deep divisions over the new Constitution.
Though Pushpa Kamal Dahal – better known as Prachanda – was the only contender for the top post, he had to go through a vote as the Constitution requires the prime minister to prove support of the majority lawmakers in the House.
The 61-year-old CPN-Maoist Centre chief was elected prime inister with 363 votes in favour and 210 against him. Out of a total 595 members, 22 did not vote.
Ahead of the election, Prachanda addressed the House and said that he would try to lead the nation toward economic development while moving ahead with the spirit of national consensus during his premiership.
This is the second time Prachanda has become Prime Minister after his brief stint with premiership came to an end in 2009. He was prime minister from 2008 to 2009 before a disagreement with the military over his attempt to sack the army chief brought his period in office to an early end.
Prachanda won today's vote after Nepali Congress and CPN Maoist Centre signed a three-point agreement with the Madhesi Front to secure support from the Madhesi parties for their bid to form a new government led by him.
The Prime Minister's post had been left vacant since last month after CPN-UML chairman KP Oli tendered his resignation following the Maoist's withdrawal of support to the coalition government.
Boost to India-Nepal Ties?
Prachanda, who was inspired by Peru's Shining Path communist movement, is known to have an anti-India stance which seems to have softened of late with observers saying that his elevation may be good for Indo-Nepal ties which experienced turbulence under KP Oli.
He has been called Prachanda – meaning the fierce one – on account of the bloody war he waged for 10 years against the monarchy to turn Nepal into a socialist communist people's republic. Prachanda spent years hiding in Nepal's jungles, directing a guerrilla war against the state that ended with a 2006 peace deal.
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