KATHMANDU: CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' is all set to make a comeback as Nepalese Prime Minister after KP Sharma Oli stepped down from the seat. Constitutional provisions dictate President Bidhya Devi Bhandari will call upon the Parliament to install a consensus-based government within seven days. The country's single largest party, Nepali Congress has already extended its support for Prachanda and signed an agreement that the former Maoist leader will lead the government for the first months.
While Oli tried hard to get Bhandari to declare he could continue as caretaker Prime Minister, the efforts were in vain as the no-trust motion in the 598-member Constituent Assembly was backed by 183 NC parliamentarians, 70 from CPN-MC, and three from CPN-United. Bringing an end to the 287-day rule of his government, Oli said, "I have decided to open the road to elect a new prime minister in this parliament and presented my resignation to the president." His government had always exerted an anti-India sentiment.
While Prachanda's government will have to work towards improving India-Nepal relations, New Delhi will most certainly be wary of him and his flexible stances. During years of insurgency in Nepal, the Maoist leader had called for a war against India, and later sought its help to forge a consensus with Nepal political parties. His relations with India however worsened when he became prime minister on 2008 and India stopped him from sacking his army chief.
The soon to be premiere of Nepal, has a lot on his plate, including forging balanced relations with both China and India.
