Madhav Kumar Nepal smiles after officially being nominated for Nepal's Prime Minister at the Parliament House in Kathmandu, India May 23, 2009. He is elected new prime minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal the same day. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    KATHMANDU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Madhav Kumar Nepal, a senior leader and Standing Committee Member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) was elected new prime minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal on Saturday.

    The Legislature-Parliamentary session of the Constituent Assembly (CA) unopposedly elected M.K. Nepal as the country's new PM with a majority.

    M.K. Nepal, also former General Secretary of CPN-UML, was announced second PM of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal by CA chairman Subash Nemwang after the parliamentary meeting.

    CA chairman Nemwang declared Nepal unopposed as the prime minister, saying that he was doing so since no one else had filed their nomination for the post.

    Though the timeframe for the nomination at the election committee of CA was set from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (0415-0730 GMT) on Saturday, no one except M.K. Nepal filed their nomination for the post.

    Out of the 24 parties represented at CA, M.K. Nepal was supported by some 21 parties except the largest party, UCPN-M and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified).

    In the 601 seat parliament, he was backed by around 360 lawmakers excluding 238 lawmakers from UCPN-M and two from CPN-M. However, the fraction of UCPN-M had supported him.

    UCPN-M, who led the previous coalition government, had boycotted the election process as the signal of protest against Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav's decision to reinstate Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal sacked by the government.

    UCPN-M had termed President Yadav's move to reinstate army chief Katwal as unconstitutional, which established "military supremacy" instead of "civilian supremacy".

    Since UCPN-M was obstructing regular session of House, the legislature parliament had elected a new Nepali PM almost three weeks after the former PM and the chairman of UCPN-M Prachanda resigned form his post on May 4.

    On May 3, the Nepali government led by the UCPN-M decided to sack army chief Katwal without the coalition 's consensus. The decision led to coalition parties pulling out of the government.

    Following the government's decision tabled, President Ram Baran Yadav instructed CoAS Katawal to continue in his office, which the UCPN-M leaders termed as "unconstitutional." Prachanda hence, resigned from the post of the prime minister.

    Addressing the House at the beginning of the parliamentary session, deputy parliamentary leader of the UCPN-M Narayankaji Shrestha said their party would not support the election process and the new government politically as well as constitutionally.

    "We will remain as the opposition and continue our strong support to draft new constitution and bringing the peace process at logical conclusion," said Shrestha before leaving out of the House.

    However, breaking the political deadlock, UCPN-M decided not to obstruct House any longer and regular parliamentary meeting was started from Friday.

    The process of forming new government was started in Nepal after the resumption of House proceedings on Friday.

    CA Chairman Nemwang on Friday informed the meeting of the legislature-parliament that the process of the formation of a new government had been started.

    Girija Prasad Koirala, President of Nepali Congress (NC), the second largest party in the CA, tabled the proposal in the House in favor of Nepal as the new PM. The proposal got support of CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal, Madhesi Peoples' Rights Forum's Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and Terai Madhesh Democratic Party chairman Mahantha Thakur, Sadbhawana Party chairman Rajendra Mahato supported the proposal.

Backgrounder: Madhav Kumar Nepal