Nepal: Maoist chief Prachanda elected as the new prime minister

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda will be taking oath of office and secrecy at the President's Office later in the evening on Wednesday.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Maoist Party chief has been elected as the new Prime Minister of Nepal on Wednesday.

Speaker Onsari Gharti, who declared the results, said the 61-year-old leader has won 363 votes out of the 573 cast in the 598-member Parliament.

Dahal, the 24th Prime Minister of Nepal will be heading a coalition government comprising of Nepali Congress which is the largest party in parliament.

Dahal, better known by his nom de guerre Prachanda or "the fierce one" will be taking oath of office and secrecy at the President's Office later in the evening.

After a gap of over seven years, Dahal has returned to the post for the second time.

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