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Nepal Ends Long Stalemate in Picking Prime Minister Nepal Picks New Premier, Putting End to Stalemate
(about 7 hours later)
NEW DELHI — After years of deadlock, Nepal’s Parliament on Monday elected Sushil Koirala, a longtime democratic activist who was involved in a famous 1973 Nepali plane hijacking, as the country’s new prime minister. NEW DELHI — After years of deadlock, Nepal’s Parliament on Monday elected Sushil Koirala, a longtime democracy activist who was involved in a famous 1973 Nepali plane hijacking, as the country’s new prime minister.
Mr. Koirala, 75, is the president of the Nepali Congress party, which emerged from elections in November with the most seats in the country’s Constituent Assembly. Mr. Koirala won more than two-thirds of the legislators’ votes, with 405 voting for him and 148 opposed. Mr. Koirala, 75, is the president of the party Nepali Congress, which emerged from elections in November with the most seats in the country’s Constituent Assembly. Mr. Koirala won more than two-thirds of the legislators’ votes, with 405 voting for him and 148 opposed.
“Koirala’s election as prime minister completes an important chapter arising out of the 2013 elections,” said Ghanashyam Ojha, a spokesman for the Nepal Investment Board. “Koirala’s election as prime minister completes an important chapter arising out of the 2013 elections,” said Ghanashyam Ojha, a spokesman for Investment Board Nepal.
An unsmiling man whose dour speeches elicit little enthusiasm even among supporters, Mr. Koirala is widely respected for his years in jails and in exile fighting for democracy in Nepal. He is unmarried and lives a spartan life, an attractive quality for those angered by lavish living among the previously dominant Maoists.An unsmiling man whose dour speeches elicit little enthusiasm even among supporters, Mr. Koirala is widely respected for his years in jails and in exile fighting for democracy in Nepal. He is unmarried and lives a spartan life, an attractive quality for those angered by lavish living among the previously dominant Maoists.
Mr. Koirala was not always so dour. In his youth, he took acting lessons in hopes of becoming an overseas movie star. King Mahendra’s coup in 1960 dashed Mr. Koirala’s acting dreams, and he spent the next 16 years in political exile in India.Mr. Koirala was not always so dour. In his youth, he took acting lessons in hopes of becoming an overseas movie star. King Mahendra’s coup in 1960 dashed Mr. Koirala’s acting dreams, and he spent the next 16 years in political exile in India.
In 1973, Mr. Koirala was among the hijackers who forced a plane flying to Katmandu from Biratnagar to divert to India, where he and the other hijackers made off with 3 million Indian rupees to finance the fight for democracy. He was jailed for six years in India and Nepal as a result.In 1973, Mr. Koirala was among the hijackers who forced a plane flying to Katmandu from Biratnagar to divert to India, where he and the other hijackers made off with 3 million Indian rupees to finance the fight for democracy. He was jailed for six years in India and Nepal as a result.
Born in Biratnagar, a center of jute manufacturing in Nepal’s eastern region, Mr. Koirala is a member of one of Nepal’s most storied political families. A relative, Girija Prasad Koirala, was the country’s prime minister four times. Born in Biratnagar, a center of jute manufacturing in Nepal’s eastern region, Mr. Koirala is a member of one of Nepal’s most storied political families. A relative, Girija Prasad Koirala, was the country’s prime minister multiple times.
Mr. Koirala’s election was made possible after Nepal’s two dominant parties, the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), both centrist movements, put aside weeks of acrimonious wrangling and signed a seven-point accord promising, among other things, to adopt a constitution within a year and allow the present president and vice president to remain in office until then.Mr. Koirala’s election was made possible after Nepal’s two dominant parties, the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), both centrist movements, put aside weeks of acrimonious wrangling and signed a seven-point accord promising, among other things, to adopt a constitution within a year and allow the present president and vice president to remain in office until then.
Mr. Koirala’s election was opposed by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the pro-monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party and some smaller parties. But Kanak Mani Dixit, a Nepali political commentator, said that Mr. Koirala’s comfortable margin of victory gave hope that the Constituent Assembly might finally finish the job of writing a constitution, which must pass by a two-thirds majority. Mr. Koirala’s election was opposed by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the pro-monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party and some smaller parties. But Kanak Mani Dixit, a Nepali political commentator, said that Mr. Koirala’s comfortable margin of victory gave hope that the Constituent Assembly might finally finish the job of writing a constitution, which must pass by a two-thirds majority.
“Koirala is going to have to gather all of his skills to persuade his partners to stick with him in governance and constitution writing,” Mr. Dixit said.“Koirala is going to have to gather all of his skills to persuade his partners to stick with him in governance and constitution writing,” Mr. Dixit said.
Ruled for centuries by monarchs, Nepal has 125 ethnic groups, 127 spoken languages, scores of castes and three distinct ecosystems that have long divided its 27 million people into a blinding array of feuding communities, making political consensus difficult and damaging the country’s economy. About 120 parties competed in the election last year.Ruled for centuries by monarchs, Nepal has 125 ethnic groups, 127 spoken languages, scores of castes and three distinct ecosystems that have long divided its 27 million people into a blinding array of feuding communities, making political consensus difficult and damaging the country’s economy. About 120 parties competed in the election last year.
A 10-year civil war between the Maoists and the government ended in 2006, but the resulting Constituent Assembly spent four years trying to write a constitution without success, leading to political paralysis. A technocratic government was chosen last year to oversee new elections. The Nepali Congress pulled out a surprising victory, with the Marxist-Leninists a close second. The two most divisive issues remaining in the writing of the constitution are whether to adopt an executive presidency and how to divide the country into smaller political units.A 10-year civil war between the Maoists and the government ended in 2006, but the resulting Constituent Assembly spent four years trying to write a constitution without success, leading to political paralysis. A technocratic government was chosen last year to oversee new elections. The Nepali Congress pulled out a surprising victory, with the Marxist-Leninists a close second. The two most divisive issues remaining in the writing of the constitution are whether to adopt an executive presidency and how to divide the country into smaller political units.