How Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Ex-Guerrilla Chief, Became Nepal’s New PM

Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, once a fierce Maoist guerrilla who led a decade-long insurgency against Hindu monarchy, was on Sunday appointed Nepal’s new prime minister for a third time, with the backing of 169 members of the Parliament.

Dahal, who still goes by his nom de guerre Prachanda – meaning “terrible” or “fierce” – surprisingly walked out of the ruling alliance led by Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress party. Deuba had refused to back Prachanda for the prime minister’s job.

Prachanda’s road to Nepal prime ministership:

> Elections in Nepal of 29 million people on November 20 saw the ruling coalition of prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, 76, lose its majority although his Nepali Congress remained the largest party.

> Deuba and Prachanda had both campaigned in the November Nepal election pledging to keep the old alliance intact for several years.

> Prachanda has moved an application with President Bidya Devi Bhandari, claiming the Prime Ministership of Nepal shortly after a coalition of six parties decided to support him to form the next government.

> Prachanda will lead the government for two and a half years and the CPN-UML will be power in the remaining two-and-a-half years, Barshaman Pun, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) said.

> In the new coalition, the CPN-UML has 78, Maoist Center 32, Rastriya Swatantra Party 20, Rastriya Prajatantra Party 14, Janata Samajbadi Party 12, Janamat Party 6, Nagarik Unmukti Party has four MPs and three independent lawmakers are in support of Prachanda.

> The Nepali Congress party will be the main opposition controlling 89 seats.

> Nepal has seen 10 government changes since 2008 when the 239-year-old monarchy was abolished.