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Communists continue to dominate Nepali politics as ‘Prachanda’ becomes PM for a third time
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as ‘Prachanda’ from his time as a leader in Nepal’s successful revolutionary war, will share his term with Nepal's second-largest party — which is also communist, reports PEOPLE'S DISPATCH
The leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal (left) is better known under his nom-de-guerre Prachanda, under which he was a leading commander in the 1996-2006 Nepalese civil war. Won decisively by his communist insurgents, the war ended with the overthrow of Nepal’s absolute monarchy and a transition from guerilla warfare to dominance in the nation’s newly established liberal democracy for the rebels.
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ON MONDAY, December 26, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Nepal by President Bidya Devi Bhandari at the President’s Office in Kathmandu. The leader of the Communist Party of Nepal — Maoist Centre (CPN-MC), Dahal will return to office for his third stint as prime minister after 2008 and 2016.
Dahal is better known under his nom-de-guerre Prachanda, under which he was a leading commander in the 1996-2006 Nepalese civil war. Won decisively by his communist insurgents, the war ended with the overthrow of Nepal’s absolute monarchy and a transition from Maoist guerilla warfare to dominance in the nation’s newly established liberal democracy for the rebels.
Despite his popularity and fame, his two previous terms as prime minister were marked by instability, each lasting barely nine months, and there has been a fierce rivalry between different communist parties, as well as unity initiatives.
An eight-member cabinet was also sworn in. Bishnu Poudel of the Communist Party of Nepal — Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), Narayan Kaji Shrestha of the CPN-MC, and Rabi Lamichhane of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party were sworn in as deputy prime ministers.
The new prime minister of Nepal was congratulated by the governments of India, China and Pakistan on Twitter.
In a turn of events unexpected by many in Nepal until December 25, Dahal joined hands with KP Oli, leader of the rival CPN-UML. Dahal’s party had fought the elections as a part of a five-party alliance led by the Nepali Congress (NC) and its leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, which was in power until the polls on November 20.
The NC, which is now the largest party in the parliament with 89 seats, will form the main opposition in the 275-member House of Representatives. The CPN-UML is the second-largest party with 78 seats, followed by CPN-MC with 32 seats.
Dahal’s party’s decision to withdraw from the alliance at the eleventh hour reportedly took place over a disagreement over premiership between him and Deuba, according to local media.
Dahal presented his claim to the seat of prime minister, supported by 169 members of the House of Representatives, to the president on December 25, after which he was appointed as the head of the new government in Nepal. As many as seven old and new parties — CPN-UML, CPN-MC, Rashtriya Swatantra Party, Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, Janata Samajwadi Party, Janamat Party, and Nagarik Unmukti Party — along with several independent lawmakers — backed Dahal’s claim to the post.
Dahal will get to lead the government for two-and-a-half years, after which Oli will take over as prime minister for the remainder of the five-year term.
This article appeared on PeoplesDispatch.org.
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