Prachanda takes oath as Nepal PM, forms small cabinet

Newly-appointed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, took the oath of office and secrecy on Monday at the President's office in Kathmandu.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to Prachanda at an event at Sital Niwas. Prachanda was clad in the Daura-Surwal, a traditional Nepali attire that he wore for the first time.

With administrating the oath of office and secrecy, three deputy prime ministers, Bishu Poudel, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, and Rabi Lamichanne of CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center) and Rastriya Swatantra Party, also took the oath.

Similarly, four ministers -- Jwala Kumari Shah, Damodar Bhandari, Rajendra Rai, and Abdul Khan -- also took the oath of office and secrecy.

Prachanda was appointed the new Prime Minister of the country as per Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.

The then ruling alliance broke down as Nepali Congress party President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba would not agree to Prachanda heading the new coalition for the first half of its five-year tenure.

Prachanda then approached CPN-UML Chairman K.P. Sharma Oli and they reached an agreement, under which Oli will take over the premiership for the second half of the tenure.

As many as 78 lawmakers of CPN-UML, 32 of CPN (Maoist Center), 20 of Rastriya Swatantra Party, 14 of RPP, six of Janamat Party, four of Nagarik Unmukti Party and 12 of Janata Samajbadi Party have supported Prachanda to be the Prime Minister of Nepal for the third time.