Prachanda Elected as New Prime Minister of Nepal Wednesday August 03,2016

Nepal's parliament elected former Maoist rebel chief Prachanda, who led a decade-long insurgency that toppled a Hindu monarchy, as prime minister on Wednesday August 03,2016 after predecessor K.P. Oli resigned rather than face defeat in a vote of no confidence

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, 61, who still uses a nom de guerre that means "Fierce", won 363 votes out of the 573 cast in the 595-member parliament, Speaker Onsari Gharti said.

Prachanda,the 61-year-old CPN-Maoist Centre chief was elected Prime Minister with 363 votes in favour and 210 against him. Out of a total 595 members, 22 did not vote

This is the second time Prachanda has become Prime Minister after his brief stint with premiership came to an end in 2009. He was prime minister from 2008 to 2009 before a disagreement with the military over his attempt to sack the army chief brought his period in office to an early end.

Prachanda won today’s vote after Nepali Congress and CPN Maoist Centre signed a three-point agreement with the Madhesi Front to secure support from the Madhesi parties for their bid to form a new government led by him.

Prachanda becomes the 24th prime minister in 26 years since the Himalayan nation adopted multi-party democracy in 1990 and the eighth since the 239-year-old monarchy was abolished 8 years ago