Desk Report
Publish: 26 Dec 2022, 03:04 pm
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who still goes by his nom de guerre Prachanda || Photo: Collected
A former Maoist guerrilla who led a decade-long insurgency
against Nepal's Hindu monarchy was on Sunday appointed prime minister for a
third time, in alliance with the main opposition after last month's election
returned a hung parliament.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who still goes by his nom de guerre
Prachanda - meaning "terrible" or "fierce" – will head the
new government for the first half of the five-year term with the support of the
opposition Communist Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) party and some other smaller
groups, party officials said.
"He has been appointed and commands the support of a
big majority of parliament," Tika Dhakal, an aide to President Bidhya Devi
Bhandari told Reuters.
Prachanda, who replaces Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali
Congress party, will step down in 2025, making way for the UML to take over the
office, local media reported.
The new coalition comes to power hours after Prachanda, 68,
surprisingly walked out of the ruling alliance led by Deuba of the Nepali
Congress party. Deuba refused to back Prachanda for the PM's job.
Prachanda's Maoist Centre party won 32 seats in the
275-member House of Representatives. The UML has 78 seats, and the rest,
required for the 138-majority, will be controlled by smaller groups.
The Nepali Congress party will be the main opposition
controlling 89 seats.
Analysts said Prachanda was unlikely to provide the country
with stability due to many coalition partners. He also faces serious economic
challenges. Inflation is more than 8%, the highest in six years. Nepal has seen 10 government changes since
2008 when the 239-year-old monarchy was abolished.
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