Madhav Kumar Nepal
Madhav Kumar Nepal माधव कुमार नेपाल | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Prime Minister of Nepal | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2009 | |
| President | Ram Baran Yadav |
| Preceded by | Pushpa Kamal Dahal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 March 1953 |
| Political party | CPN-UML |
Madhav Kumar Nepal (Nepali: माधवकुमार नेपाल, born March 12, 1953[1]) is the Prime Minister of Nepal since 23 May 2009;[2] he was the General Secretary of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) for 15 years.
Early life
M.K. Nepal was born to Mangal Kumar Upadhaya and Durgadevi Upadhaya. He grew up in Rautahat.[1]
Political activism
M.K. Nepal joined the communist movement in 1969. In the underground struggle, he used party names such as 'Subodh', 'Sunil', 'Ranjan' and 'Bibek'. In 1971 he became a district committee member of the Nepal Revolutionary Organisation (Marxist-Leninist). At a conference held in Biratnagar June 7-8, 1975, M.K. Nepal was elected as a bureau member of the All Nepal Communist Revolutionary Coordination Committee (Marxist-Leninist). When the ANCRCC(ML) founded the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) in 1978, M.K. Nepal was elected a politburo member of the new party.[1]
He was the Deputy Prime Minister in the Nepalese government during the CPN(UML) minority government as well as the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. He argued for the Nepal Civil War to be solved through talks and did not believe that mobilization of the army was the solution.
Nepal was arrested in 2001 during a crackdown on anti-government protest. Following the palace massacre he called for Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to step down, though later joined forces with him to launch a campaign against King Gyanendra's assumption of executive powers.
On April 12, 2008, Nepal resigned as General Secretary of the CPN (UML),[3] after having lost the Kathmandu-2 seat to Maoist candidate Jhakku Prasad Subedi in the 2008 Constituent Assembly election.[4] Subedi was a comparatively obscure candidate.[5] Nepal was also defeated in Rautahat-6 constituency by CPN(M) candidate Devendra Patel.[6]. Now he is looking after international bureau of the CPN (UML).
In June 2008, the CPN (UML) proposed that M. K. Nepal become the country's first President, following the declaration of a republic.[7]
He became Prime Minister of Nepal on 23 May 2009 after his predecessor Prachanda resigned over a conflict with the president over the dismissal of the army's chief of staff.[8]
References
- ^ a b c K.C., Surendra. Aitihasik dastavej sangroh - bhag 2. Kathmandu: Pairavi Prakashan, 2063 B.S.. p 460.
- ^ "Nepal parliament elects new PM". AFP via Google News.
- ^ "MK Nepal announces resignation as UML gen secy", Nepalnews, April 12, 2008.
- ^ "UML gen secy loses to CPN-M candidate in Kathmandu-2; NWPP takes both constituencies in Bhaktapur", Nepalnews, April 12, 2008.
- ^ "Big Maoist wins could reshape Nepal's politics", The Christian Science Monitor, April 15, 2008.
- ^ "MK Nepal loses in Rautahat, too", Nepalnews, April 14, 2008.
- ^ "UML, Maoist leaders differ on presidential candidate", Nepalnews, June 21, 2008.
- ^ "Communist leader elected Nepal PM". BBC. 23 May 2009.
Further reading
- Busky, Donald F (2002). Communism in History and Theory. Praeger/Greenwood. ISBN 0-275-97733-1
- Hutt, Michael (2004). Himalayan "People's War". C. Hurst & Co Publishers. ISBN 1-85065-722-X
