Nepal President appoints Pushpa Kamal Dahal as new Prime Minister

Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Sunday appointed Maoist Center leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the Prime Minister of the Himalayan nation, Nepal President's Office said.

"Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) will take oath as the new Prime Minister of Nepal tomorrow at 4pm (local time)," said Nepal President's office.

Dahal was appointed PM for the third time after he secured the support of 169 members of the Parliament to form the new government. Dahal, also known by his nom de guerre Prachanda, meaning "fierce", served as Prime Minister of Nepal from 2008 to 2009 and again from 2016 to 2017.

Earlier today, Prachanda moved an application with the President claiming the Prime Ministership of Nepal shortly after a coalition of six parties decided to support him to form the next government.

"A coalition of 6 parties have decided to project Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the Prime Minister. An agreement has been reached. Dahal will lead the government for two and a half years and the CPN-UML will be in 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.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal now has the support of 169 Members of Parliament.

Earlier on Sunday, Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel said Maoist Center decided to leave the ruling coalition.

Confirming the decision of the Maoist Centre over the phone with ANI, Paudel said that Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda walked out of the coalition meeting on Sunday after saying that "the coalition has lost its relevance.