Jhalanath Khanal Became the New Prime Minister of Nepal

Jhalanath Khanal, on 3 February 2011, was elected the new and the 34th Prime Minister of Nepal ending the seven month long political deadlock over the election of Prime Minister. Jhalanath-who is also the Chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist)-secured 368 votes in the 601-member Nepalese Parliament. He was supported by Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda led Unified Communist Party of Nepal, the single largest party in the country. Earlier, Prachanda decided to withdraw from the Prime Ministerial contest. The Maoists have 237 MPs and the party of Jhalanath Khanal has 107 MPs in the Parliament. Khanal’s party is the third largest party in the Parliament of Nepal.

Besides Jhalanath Khanal, Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Pudel and the leader of United Democratic Madhesi Front Bijay Kumar Gachhedar were the other candidates who contested for the post of Prime Minister. Ram Chandra Pudel got 122 votes while Bijay kumar could manage 67 votes only. Nepali Congress is the second largest party in Nepal.

The Parliament of Nepal elected the new Prime Minister under revised election rules to end the deadlock since the resignation of Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav kumar Nepal on 30 June 2010 because of Maoist pressure.

Since the end of civil war in Nepal in 2006, Nepal is lacking the political stability which is required to strengthen democracy there. The standoff between the political parties has so far delayed the process of drafting new constitution in Nepal and concluding the peace process.

Jhalanath Khanal became the third communist Prime Minister of Nepal after the monarchy was abolished here in 2008. Khanal was elected the Chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) on 16 February 2009.