Bhattarai, Indian PM congratulates Dahal for his new role as Nepal PM

Kathmandu, Aug. 3 (ANI): Former Nepali prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, who deserted the Maoist party last September to form Naya Shakti Nepal on Wednesday, congratulated his former comrade Pushpa Kamal Dahal for being elected as the new Prime Minister. Bhattarai in a Twitter post extended his congratulation to Dahal and wished him a successful tenure, reports the Himalayan Times. Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist Centre Chairman Dahal was elected the 39th Prime Minister of Nepal today. Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar announced that Dahal was elected the top post as he garnered more votes than 50 per cent of current strength of the Parliament. Bhattarai's love-hate relationship with Dahal severed after the new Constitution was promulgated last year. He then launched a new political party and named it Naya Shakti Nepal. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to twitter congratulating Dahal on his new role. "Spoke to Nepal's PM-elect Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' ji & congratulated him. Assured him of our full support & invited him to India," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. While total 573 lawmakers had cast their votes in the poll, 363 were for Dahal. He was backed by the largest party in the House, Nepali Congress, constituents of the United Democratic Madhesi Front and the Federal Alliance and some other fringe parties. 210 lawmakers in total including those of CPN-UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal had cast votes against him. (ANI)