Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' appointed as Nepal’s PM with Oli-led CPN-UML’s support

Ending the dramatic political chaos in Nepal, CPN-Maoist Centre chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" was on Sunday appointed as the prime minister for the third time after receiving support from opposition CPN-UML and other smaller parties.

In a meeting, CPN-UML led by K P Sharma Oli along with Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), CPN-Maoist Centre and other smaller parties decided to form the country's new government under Prachanda's leadership.

CPN-MC General Secretary DevGurung said that the CPN-MC, CPN-UML, and other partiesstaked theirclaim on the premiership of Prachanda at the President's Office ‘Sheetalniwas’ by submitting 165 lawmakers' signatures under the Constitution's Article 76 (2).

"He has been appointed and commands the support of a big majority of parliament," said Tika Dhakal, an aide to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. The oath taking ceremony is likely to be held on Monday at 4 pm.

Along with Prachanda, Rastriya Prajatantra Party president Rajendra Lingden, Rastriya Swatantra Party President Ravi Lamichhane and Janata Samajwadi Party president Upendra Yadav had reached the residence of Oli, where they decided to appoint Prachanda as the next prime minister.

In the meeting, Prachanda and Oli reached an understanding that they will lead the new government on a rotational basis and the latter then agreed to give Prachanda the first chance to become the prime minister as per his demand.

"This is the understanding. Remaining work of distribution of key other posts and ministries is still to be worked out," said Gurung after the meeting.

The new ruling alliance received the support of 165 lawmakers in the House of Representatives' 275 members which includes CPN-UML with 78, CPN-MC with 32, RSP with 20, RPP with 14, JSP with 12, Janamat with 6 and Nagarik Unmukti Party with three.

"As the largest party, the Nepali Congress failed to form a government under its leadership as per Article 76(2) of the Constitution within the president's deadline. Now, the CPN-UML has taken the initiative to form the new government under the leadership of Prachanda with the support of 165 lawmakers," said CPN-UML general secretary Shankar Pokharel, after the meeting.

WATCH| Nepal: Ruling coalition leaders to hold meeting, deadline to name new Prime Minister

Ruling alliance breaks

On Sunday, Nepal's ruling alliance broke after Nepali Congress president and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba failed to finalise a power-sharing deal with CPN-Maoist Centre chairman Prachanda.

The talks held over the power-sharing deal failed at the prime minister's residence at Baluwatar after Prachanda's offer of becoming the country's next prime minister in the first two and half years of the five-year term was rejected by PM Deuba, said CPN-MC Secretary Ganesh Shah.

Earlier, Prachanda and Deuba had agreed to a tacit understanding that they would become the prime minister of the new government on a rotational basis.

In the talks held on Sunday morning with Prachanda, Nepali Congress had tried to claim the two key posts of the government – the prime minister and president, which Prachanda had refused, leading to the failure of the talks, stated Maoist sources.

The speaker's post was offered by the Nepali Congress to the Maoist Party, which Prachanda immediately rejected. “Now the alliance has broken as the last-minute talks between Deuba and Prachanda failed to strike a deal,” said Shah.

After failing to reach the power-sharing deal with PM Deuba, Prachanda visited CPN-UML chairman Oli at his residence to seek his support for becoming the country's next prime minister.

After the elections, Nepali Congress had emerged as the House of Representatives' largest party with 89 seats, while CPN-UML and CPN-MC were able to clinch 78 and 32 seats, respectively.

(With inputs from agencies)