Nepal will start a fresh process to elect the next prime minister on Thursday. But it will be the same old faces battling for the post except for a new candidate from Madeshi parties.
Nepal will start a fresh process to elect the next prime minister on Thursday. But it will be the same old faces battling for the post except for a new candidate from Madeshi parties.
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Despite 16 rounds of failed voting in the previous poll and murmurs to look for alternatives, the three main parties--Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and Maoists stuck with the same names.
So it will again be NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel, Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN (UML) chairman Jhalanath Khanal locking horns to win majority votes from lawmakers.
The only new face this time around is Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar Gachchadhar, president of Madeshi Janadhikar Forum (Loktantrik) who filed his nomination at the last minute.
The Madhesi leader claims to enjoy support of 11 fringe parties including those from the Terai plains that have 142 lawmakers in the 601-member parliament.
"Only a Nepali Congress-led government can complete the peace process and draft a democratic constitution. Hence, I ask all parties to support my candidature," said Poudel after filing his nomination papers.
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Khanal who withdrew from the previous race before the first round of voting also exuded confidence of a win.
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Khanal who withdrew from the previous race before the first round of voting also exuded confidence of a win.
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None of the three parties have the required numbers to get the 300 votes needed and are banking on support of others including the Madhes-based parties to tilt the balance in their favour.
Meetings are underway among all parties including the fringe players with few seats to ensure a win and prevent the ongoing impasse from continuing. The earlier process ended last month after lone candidate Poudel withdrew. But with the parties again failing to arrive at any consensus candidate for the PM's post, a fresh round of voting will begin on Thursday.
Unlike the earlier poll, voting for the fresh poll will take place with amended guidelines, which are deemed more result-oriented.
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.
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