Nepal fails to get leader on fourth try

Despite efforts by India to break the ongoing deadlock among political parties, Nepali lawmakers failed to elect a new prime minister for the fourth time on Friday.

Updated on: Aug 6, 2010, 23:56:50 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Despite efforts by India to break the ongoing deadlock among political parties, Nepali lawmakers failed to elect a new prime minister for the fourth time on Friday.

Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ secured 213 votes while Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel got support from only 122 lawmakers.

A candidate needs 300 votes to win. The outcome was expected as CPN-UML, which has 108 members and United Democratic Madhesi Front — the umbrella group of four Madhes-based parties that have 83 candidates abstained from voting.

Today’s voting however brought out some interesting outcomes as Prachanda failed to get support of some colleagues and few Nepali Congress lawmakers abstained from voting against the Maoist candidate.

Maoists have 239 members, 26 more than the number of votes Prachanda got and despite NC having 114 members, only 99 of them voted against the motion to elect the Maoist chief.

“There’s no question of withdrawing from the contest. I am sure we will able to get a positive result the next time,” said Poudel after voting was over.

The next round of voting will take place on August 18.

On Wednesday, former Indian foreign secretary Shyam Saran had reached Kathmandu to find a way out of the deadlock and take the peace and constitution drafting processes forward. Nepal is in the process of selecting its 34th PM by majority vote.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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