Madhav Kumar Nepal, Communist Leader, Elected Nepal's New PM

[IndianaGreen]

Source: Huffington Post

Madhav Kumar Nepal, Communist Leader, Elected Nepal's New PM

BINAJ GURUBACHARYA | May 23, 2009 09:35 AM EST

KATMANDU, Nepal — Lawmakers elected a communist party leader as Nepal's new prime minister on Saturday in a move aimed at ending weeks of political turmoil.

Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) was elected unopposed, parliament speaker Subash Nemwang announced.

Parliament members congratulated Nepal, and his supporters cheered and offered him flowers when he walked out of parliament.

Nepal, 56, has the backing of 22 political parties and 350 members in the 601-seat parliament, more than the simple majority required to be elected.

Nepal has been a prominent figure in Nepalese politics for more than a decade. He was a key figure in 2005 protests against the authoritarian rule of then-King Gyanendra and the weeks of street protests that led to the restoration of democracy a year later.

The previous prime minister, former Maoist rebel chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal, resigned May 4 following a dispute with Nepal's president.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/23/madhav-kumar-nepal-commun_n_207072.html

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For a brief account of the differences between Maoism and Marxist, please read Henry Maitles essay:

Maoism and Marxism

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=8837