Prachanda fails to get majority for becoming Nepal Prime Minister

Kathmandu, Aug 3 (ANI): The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of Nepal legislature parliament has decided to hold the fourth runoff election for the prime ministerial post on August 6 after the third round of election ended in a fiasco.

A meeting of the BAC held late night decided to hold the next round of election of the post of prime minister on Friday.

The advisory committee stipulated the date for next election after both the candidates vying for the post of prime minister got rejected by the Parliament.

Unified CPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda and Nepali Congress vice president Ram Chandra Paudel were in the fray for the prime minister post.

Prachanda secured 259 votes, while Paudel got 124, in the currently 599-member parliament.

In Prachanda's case, of total 581 attendances, 114 lawmakers voted against and another 208 opted to stay neutral. Likewise, 246 lawmakers disapproved Paudel's candidacy, while another 186 abstained from voting.

This time Prachanda polled 17 more votes, which is attributed to support from fringe parties including the Nepal Workers and the Peasants' Party.

The fate of both candidates now depends on the decision of the UML and the four Madhes-based parties.

Prachanda will get a majority if the Madhes parties vote for him in the fourth round, while Poudel will get a chance to lead a government if the UML and the Madhes parties vote for him.

According to existing parliamentary regulations the election for the post of Prime Minister at the legislature parliament keeps on repeating until a prime minister is elected, Nepalnews reported. (ANI)