Prachanda says his first 'political visit' will be to India

KATHMANDU: Amid criticism of his move to visit China first instead of India after assuming office, Nepal's new premier Prachanda on Wednesday said his maiden "political" trip will be to New Delhi and that it will take place "very soon."

Prachanda, who undertook a five-day visit to Beijing to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympics, was criticised in the political circle here for visiting China first in a sharp departure from tradition where India has been the first port of call for most of the previous Nepalese prime ministers.

"My first political visit will be to India," the Nepalese Prime Minister told reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport here after arriving from China.

Prachanda, the chief of the CPN-Maoist party, said his visit to India will take place "very soon."

The former guerrilla leader also noted that Nepal-India traditional ties were characterised by religious and cultural similarities.

He said his CPN-Maoist's cooperation with India started when it reached a 12-point agreement with political parties of Nepal in Delhi, "which cannot be undermined."

Prachanda, who met Chinese President Hu Jintao and other political leaders during his stay in Beijing, termed his Beijing visit as "fruitful".

He, however, said he visited China merely to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.


Source : Times Of India

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Prachanda sworn in as Nepal prime minister

KATHMANDU: The leader of Nepal's Maoists, Prachanda, was sworn in as prime minister of the world's youngest republic on Monday.

The former rebel chief was on Friday overwhelmingly voted in as Nepal's new premier by lawmakers in the country's constitutional assembly, which had abolished the unpopular monarchy in May.

"I will remain faithful to the nation and my countrymen, and promise in the name of the people that I will remain faithful to the sovereign nation of Nepal," he said in his oath of office.

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Red-letter day in Nepal; Prachanda elected PM

Kathmandu(NEPAL): Maoist leader Prachanda was on Friday elected the first Prime Minister of post-monarchy Nepal, getting a comfortable majority in the Constituent Assembly.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who uses the nom de guerre Prachanda, won 464 votes out of 577 votes cast in a special Constituent Assembly vote. He defeated Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, a three-time former prime minister, who won just 113 votes.

Prachanda received the backing of another major Left party the CPN (UML) and the Terai-based Madhesi Rights People's Forum.

The election ended a four-month long logjam over forming a government during which mainstream parties were locked in a bitter power struggle. Prachanda's predecessor G P Koirala of Nepali Congress had resigned under pressure from the Maoists and was working in an interim capacity.

With Prachanda at helm, the Maoists are expected to get nine portfolios including the key ministries of Finance, Defence and Foreign Affairs, highly placed sources said.

The Maoists won the largest number of seats in assembly elections in April. A month later, the assembly abolished the Himalayan nation's centuries-old monarchy.

However, the former rebels did not receive a majority of seats and were unable to form a coalition government.

The Maoists abandoned their armed struggle in April 2006 to join a peace process that brought them into the political mainstream.

Source : IBN Live

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Nepal parliament to elect prime minister today

KATHMANDU: Nepal's Parliament will elect on Friday the country's new prime minister after being directed by the president to initiate the government formation process.

Parliamentary spokesman said that the Parliament Working Procedure Management Committee has decided to hold the election for prime minister on Friday.

The nominations for the top post will be accepted on Thursday, they said. In the 601-strong assembly, to get their candidate elected as prime minister, any combination of political parties would need the magic number of 301 votes.

After the Maoists, who had emerged the top group in the April 10 polls, failed to form an all-party consensus government under Article 38(1) of the Constitution, President Ram Baran Yadav called for initiating the process of government formation through majority voting in the Constituent Assembly as per the Article 38(2).

However, a detailed election program is yet to be announced.

The major parties had failed to reach consensus on government formation after the Maoists rejected the Nepali Congress' demand for the defense portfolio.

The parties have now intensified consultations in order to field a consensus candidate so that prime minister could be elected unopposed and a government involving all major groups could be formed, said CPN-UML central member Shanker Pokharel.

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