The new prime minister takes the oath of office from the hands of the president becoming the first head of government of the Republic of Nepal. He is backed by the country’s three Communist-inspired parties. He is invited to the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – “I shall remain faithful to nation and to the people of Nepal’” said Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda, as he took the oath of office as the prime minister of the newly-established Republic of Nepal. The former Maoist rebel leader has thus successfully turned armed struggle into political action. On 18 August he became first head of government in the history of the new state after the constituent assembly abolished the monarchy in favour of a parliamentary republic and elected a president, a vice president and now a prime minister who will lead a coalition government.

Prachanda, who chairs the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M), took the oath of office from the hands of President Ram Baran Yadav as the country followed the ceremony on live TV.

The new head of government was invited by the International Olympic Committee to attend the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday 24 August, marking Prachanda’s first outing on the international stage.

The new prime minister is backed by the three parties that constitute the ruling coalition, namely his CPN-M, the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) and the Madheshi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF).

The new government is clearly Communist in inspiration and this has raised concern among opposition parties about a possible shift towards totalitarianism by the new executive, a fear dismissed by the new rulers who pledged to govern on behalf of all the people of the Republic of Nepal.

When he was appointed prime minister last Friday Prachanda said he would rule according to the “people’s aspirations.” He won 464 votes in the constituent assembly against “only” 113 for his main opponent Sher Bahadur Deuba, from the Nepali Congress.

This came after a long hiatus during which the three main ruling parties reached an agreement that allowed Prachanda to take the prime ministership and divided up cabinet posts.

The CPN-M will get nine ministerial posts, including that of Prime Minister, Defence, Finance, Physical Planning, Law and Justice, Peace and Reconstruction, Science and Technology, Labour and Transportation, and Land Reforms and General Administration.

The CPN-UML will get six ministerial portfolios including Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Water Resources and Local Development.

The MPRF should get Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Information and Communication, Industry, commerce and Supply and Women, Children and Social Welfare

 

* Kalpit Parajuli contributed to the article.

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