Nepal’s former Maoist PM announces new party

AFP, KATHMANDU: Nepal’s former Maoist prime minister Baburam Bhattarai announced a new political party on Sunday in an attempt to attract legions of voters disillusioned with mainstream leaders.
Waving flags of the new centre-left party, thousands gathered at a stadium in Kathmandu where Bhattarai vowed to focus on bringing economic development to the impoverished Himalayan nation.
Bhattarai, prime minister from August 2011 to March 2013, played a key role in bringing the Maoists into the political mainstream after the end of their decade-long insurgency in 2006.
But Bhattarai quit the main Maoist party last September over the adoption of Nepal’s controversial new constitution, and after years of playing second fiddle to Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda.

 

Nepals former Maoist PM announces new party

AFP, KATHMANDU: Nepals former Maoist prime minister Baburam Bhattarai announced a new political party on Sunday in an attempt to attract legions of voters disillusioned with mainstream leaders. Waving flags of the new centre-left party, thousands gathered at a stadium in Kathmandu where Bhattarai vowed to focus on bringing economic development to the impoverished Himalayan nation. Bhattarai, prime minister from August 2011 to March 2013, played a key role in bringing the Maoists into the political mainstream after the end of their decade-long insurgency in 2006. But Bhattarai quit the main Maoist party last September over the adoption of Nepals controversial new constitution, and after years of playing second fiddle to Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda.