Monday, August 29, 2011

Maoist elected Prime Minister of Nepal

Nepal Everest News

Kathmandu, Aug.28: Vice-chairman of the UCPN (Maoist), Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has been elected the Prime Minister of Nepal. In the elections held today at the meeting of the Legislature-Parliament, Dr. Bhattarai won with 340 votes. His only contender, Nepali Congress Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel garnered 235 votes. A total of 575 votes were cast today out of the total 594 members present in the Legislature-Parliament.

The United Democratic Madhesi Front’s support played a decisive role in Dr. Bhattarai’s win, based on a four-point agreement reached earlier today between the UCPN (Maoist) and the Front on matters relating to peace, constitution and a coalition government.

Voting in favour of Dr. Bhattarai today were the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal, the CPN (ML-Socialist), the Rastriya Janamorcha, the CPN (Unified), the CPN (United), the Samajbadi Janata Dal, the Nepal Pariwar Dal, the Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Giri), the Rastriya Janamukti Party and the Nepal Democratic Socialist Manch, besides his party the UCPN (Maoist).

Likewise, NC leader Poudel received votes from the CPN-UML, the CPN-ML, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, the Rastriya Janashakti Party, Independent MP Baban Singh and other fringe parties, including his own party NC. Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal did not take part in the voting today.

The amended regulations of the Legislature-Parliament however provide that the MPs cannot abstain from the voting and can do so only with a valid reason for absence. The regulations was amended after 16 rounds of elections held last year for the post of the Prime Minister failed to bear any result as MPs were allowed to stay neutral. Announcing the result, Speaker Subas Nembang wished Dr. Bhattarai success in achieving a national consensus and realizing lasting peace and a new constitution.

No comments:

Post a Comment