Jhalanath Khanal sworn in as Nepal''s new Prime Minister

Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Feb 6 (PTI) Jhalanath Khanal was todaysworn in as Nepal''s new Prime Minister, ending theseven-month-long political uncertainty in the country.

Khanal, 61, took the oath of office and secrecy in afunction held at the President''s office in Shital Niwas here.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav administered the oath ofoffice and secrecy to the newly elected Prime Minister.

Vice President Parmananda Jha, outgoing prime ministerMadhav Kumar Nepal, Constituent Assembly (CA) chairman SubhasChandra Nembang, various political party leaders, chiefs ofsecurity bodies and foreign diplomats were present at theceremony.

Khanal, a nominee of Communist Party of Nepal(CPN-UML), was elected as the new Prime Minister of Nepalduring a Legislature-Parliamentary session of the ConstituentAssembly on Thursday.

His election came after the Maoists decided to backKhanal after the party realised that its candidate Prachandawas unlikely to get the support of parties to win theelection.

Meanwhile, the oath taking ceremony of the ministershas been postponed as the two parties UCPN-Maoist and CPN-UMLcould not forge an agreement regarding power sharing andformation of the new Council of Ministers, Himalyan Timesreported.

Nepal''s parliament voted for a new prime ministerunder revised election rules designed to break a deadlock thathad left the country without a government since the June 30resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal under intenseMaoists pressure.