JHALANATH KHANAL ELECTED PM (UPDATED BREAKING NEWS)

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 3 Feb.: UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal was elected prime minister by a 368 majority vote in the 599-memebr parliamentat eight in the vening Thursday.
Speaker Subash Nemwang announced the result of the division.
There were three candidates after Maoist Chairman Prachanda withdrew his candidacy in favour of Khanal.
Chairman Prachanda told parliament the party decided to withdrew his candidacy concluding he wouldn’t be elected.
Major parties said they wouldn’t vote for a Maoist-led government until the peace process was concluded even after the formal handover of command and control of 19,000 plus former Maoist fighters from the party to a special committee headed by the prime minister.
Prachanda admitted he spent sleepless nights fearing a physical attack if government wasn’t formed apparently alluding to Jhalanath Khanal who was slapped on the face this month Itahari.
The Maoist chief said he withdrew his candidacy for government formation ad constitution drafting which has to be completed by the second extended 28 May 2011.
nnnn