Pushpa Kamal Dahal: From Guerilla leader to three-time PM of Nepal
Guerilla leader
Pushpa Kamal Dahal became the general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Mashal) in 1989 and although he remained underground even after the restoration of democracy in Nepal in 1990, he continued to control the clandestine wing of the party, while Baburam Bhattarai represented the United People's Front in parliament.
(Photograph:AFP)
Military efforts and ceasefire
With Nepal facing massive civil war, Prachanda directed the military efforts of the CPN (Maoist Centre) towards establishing areas of control but his relationship with Bhattarai took a hit. The duo disagreed over the path ahead in the mid-2000s and in April 2006, he announced a ceasefire with a stated duration of 90 days and that led to the complete abolition of dictatorship.
(Photograph:AFP)
Previous terms as Prime Minister
Prachanda won the April 2008 Constituent Assembly election from Kathmandu constituency-10 and Rolpa constituency-2. With his party coming to power, he became the Prime Minister for the first time. He was elected to the PM post once again in 2016 when he became the 24th Prime Minister of the country but was succeeded by Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress in June 2017.
(Photograph:AFP)
Formation of government
Prachanda signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord to dissolve parliament and it resulted in the CPN(M) forming the new government. In 2011, he filed his candidacy for the PM post on behalf of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre), but later withdrew his candidacy and supported CPN-UML Prime Ministerial candidate, Jhalanath Khanal. The support proved to be crucial as Khanal was able to become the new PM of Nepal.
(Photograph:AFP)
Third term as Prime Minister
Pushpa Kamal Dahal became the prime minister for the third time, after his Maoist party formed a coalition following elections in 2022. Dahal's Maoist CPN party formed an alliance with another communist party, the CPN (UML) -- they used to be one party before splitting -- and six others including combative television host Rabi Lamichhane's new National Independent Party.
(Photograph:AFP)