Nepal PM ‘Prachanda’ terminates alliance with Nepali Congress, reshuffles cabinet

Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Monday reshuffled the Cabinet after terminating a nearly 15-month partnership with the Nepali Congress due to major differences between their top leadership, in a dramatic development in the politically fragile Himalayan nation.

Prachanda, a former guerilla leader, forged a new alliance with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) - the second-biggest party - led by former premier KP Sharma Oli following which three ministers took the oath of office and secrecy on Monday.

Padam Giri from the CPN-UML, Hit Bahadur Tamang from CPN (Maoist Center) and Dol Prasad Aryal from Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) took the oath of office and secrecy during the oath-taking ceremony held at the President's Office, Sheetal Niwas. 

However, the newly appointed ministers have not been assigned portfolios.

Prime Minister Prachanda has kept 25 ministerial portfolios including those of Home, Defence, Foreign Affairs and Finance with himself.

The new political equation formed by keeping the largest party and the strongest democratic force  Nepali Congress out of power and bringing together the two largest communist forces may not be in the interest of India, according to senior journalist and political analyst Dhruva Hari Adhikary.

The collective strength of 142 of CPN-UML, Maoist, RSP and JSP is more than the minimum required no of 138 seats in the 275-member House.

The alliance between the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) led by Prachanda and the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led Nepali Congress was terminated as the growing differences between the two top leaders reached a climax, a CPN-Maoist Centre party leader said.

Prachanda became the prime minister for the third term with the support of the Nepali Congress on December 25, 2022. 

His party is the only third-largest group in the House of Representatives.

After breaking the alliance with the Nepali Congress the largest party in the House of Representatives Prachanda joined hands with Oli, who was regarded as Prachanda's top critic.

Last year, the CPN-UML withdrew its support to the Prachanda-led government following a rift over backing the main opposition party's candidate for the presidential poll.