() — The former Maoist guerrilla who led a decade-long insurgency against Nepal’s Hindu monarchy was named prime minister for the third time on Sunday, in alliance with the main opposition, after elections last month yielded a short-run parliament.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who continues to use his nom de guerre Prachanda, which means “terrible” or “fierce,” will head the new government for the first half of the five-year term, with the support of the United Communist Marxist-Leninist (UML) opposition party. ) and some other smaller groups, party officials said.
“He has been appointed and has the support of a large majority in Parliament,” Tika Dhakal, an adviser 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, local media reported.
“This is the deal. The distribution of other key posts and ministries remains to be resolved,” Dev Gurung, general secretary of Prachanda’s Maoist Center party, told Reuters after a meeting of the new coalition.
The new coalition comes to power hours after Prachanda, 68, made a surprise exit from the ruling alliance led by Deuba of the Nepali Congress party. Deuba refused to endorse Prachanda for the post of prime minister.
Deuba and Prachanda had campaigned in the November elections pledging to keep the old alliance intact for several years.
Prachanda’s Maoist Center party won 32 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives. The UML has 78 seats, and the rest, needed to reach a majority of 138, will be controlled by smaller groups.
The Nepali Congress party will be the main opposition, with 89 seats.
According to analysts, Prachanda is unlikely to provide stability to the country due to the many coalition partners. He is also facing serious financial problems.
Inflation exceeds 8%, the highest in six years. Nepal, situated between China and India, is also facing declining foreign exchange reserves, with a growing reliance on imports of basic goods.
“The economy is unlikely to grow as political instability will scare investment and businesses,” former central bank governor Deependra Bahadur Kshetri told Reuters.
Nepal has seen 10 changes of government since 2008, when the 239-year-old monarchy was abolished.
