President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday appointed CPN-Maoist Centre chairman Pushpa Ka🐲mal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ as the new Prime Minister of Nepal.
Prachanda has been appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal as per the Article 76 Clause 2 o𓃲f the Constitution, according to a statement issued by the President's Offi🍃ce here.
The President had called any mem🐽ber of the House of Representatives, who can garner a majority with support from two or more parties as stipulated in the Article 76 clause 2 oཧf the Constitution to submit a claim for the Prime Minister's post.
Prachanda, 68, had submitted th🔯e claim before the deadline given by the President expired at 5 pm on Sunday.
The swearing in ceremony of the newly-appointed Prime M꧋inister will take place at 4 pm on Monday, according to the President's Office.
Prachanda along with CPN-UML chairman K P Sharma Oli, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) president Ravi Lamichhane, Rastriya Prajatantra Party chief Rajendra Lingden among other top leaders earlier went to the Presiden❀t's Office with a proposal to appoint him as the new Prime Minister, sources said.
Prachanda has support of 165 lawmakers in the 275-member House of Representatives which includes CPN-UML with 78, CPN-MC w𝓡ith 32, RSP with 20, RPP with 14, JSP with 12, Janamat with 6 and Na☂garik Unmukti Party with 3.
Prach𝔍anda is being appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal for the third time.
🔯Born in Dhikurpokhari of Kaski district near Pokhara on December 11, 1954, Prachanda remained underground for almost 13 years. He joined mainstream politics when the CPN-Maoist adopted peaceful politics, ending decade long armed insurgency.
He led✅ the decade-long armed struggle from 1996 to 2006 that ultimately ended with signing of 🍌the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in November 2006.
Earlier, a crucial meeting was held at former prime minister Oli's residence where 𒈔CPN-Maoist Centre and other smaller parties agreed to form a government under the leadership of ‘Prachanda’.
There has been an understanding between Prachanda and Oli to lead the government🔯 on rotation basis and Oli agreed to ✃make Prachanda Prime Minister at the first chance as per his demand.
"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 Prachanജda with the suppor🌸t of 165 lawmakers," Shankar Pokharel, CPN-UML general secretary, told reporters after the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Prachanda walked out of the Nepali Congress led five-party alliance after Prime Minister and Nepali Congress presi✨dent Sher Bahadur Deuba rejected his bid to become the Prime Minister in the f𝄹irst round.
Deuba and Prachanda had ea♚rlier reached a tacit understanding to lead the new government on a rotational basis.
During talks with Prachanda on Sunday morning at the PM House, Nepali Congress had staked claim for both the key posts of President and Prime Minister, which Prachanda had rej✨ected resuꦐlting in failure of the talks, Maoist sources said.
The NC💖 offered the post o🅘f Speaker to the Maoist Party, which was rejected by Prachanda.
"The alliance has broken as the last-minute talk between Deuba and Prachanda failed to༺ strike a deal," Shah told PTI earlier in the day.
After talks with Prime Minister Deuba failed, Prachanda reached the private residence of CPN-UML chairman Oli to seek his support to become th💖e Prime Ministe🔥r. He was joined by leaders of other smaller parties.
Nepali Congress ෴is the largest party with 89 seats in the House of Representatives while CPN-UML and 🥀CPN-MC have 78 and 32 seats, respectively.
No party in the 275-member Hous♏e of Representatives has 138 seats required to form a government.
In the H💦ouse, CPN (Unified Socialist) has 10 seats, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP) has four, and Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party have one seat each.
There are five independent mem🧸bers in the Lower House.
PM Modi greets Prachanda for becoming Nepal's new PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda&quo൩t; on Sunday on being elected as the new leader of Nepal and said he looks forward t🌠o working with him to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries.
"Warmest congratulations @cmprachanda on being elected as the Prime 🍒Minister of Nepal. The unique relationship between India and꧒ Nepal is based on deep cultural connect and warm people-to-people ties. I look forward to working together with you to further strengthen this friendship," Modi said in a tweet.
