President Bhandari appoints CPN (MC) Chair Dahal prime minister

KATHMANDU: CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been appointed as the 44th prime minister of the country on Sunday.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed Dahal as the prime minister as per Article 76 (2) of the Constitution.

According to a source at the President’s office, Dahal has the support of 170 lawmakers of the House of Representatives.

Dahal had submitted the claim with the support of those lawmakers.

He was supported by Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janamat Party and Rastriya Unmukti Party along with CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN-UML.

This is the third time Dahal has become the prime minister.

Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal states “in cases where no party has a clear majority in the House of Representatives, the President shall appoint as the Prime Minister a member of the House of Representatives who can command majority with the support of two or more parties representing the House of Representatives.”

Dahal will be sworn in as the prime minister at 4pm on Monday.

The Maoist supremo’s Secretariat said that the swearing-in ceremony will held at the President’s Office in Sheetal Niwas tomorrow afternoon.

Meanwhile, President Bhandari congratulated Dahal for being appointed as the Prime Minister and wished for his successful tenure.