NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — Prachanda had been the prime minister for nine months in what was his second term as PM. His party, the CPN (MC), and the Nepali Congress had agreed on August 3, 2016, that they will run the government on a rotational basis until elections are held in Nepal in 2018.
"Prachanda has resigned from his post and now Sher Bahadur Deuba will be the new Prime Minister according to the agreement between the two parties. But India will be more comfortable with the Deuba government, due to its close proximity to the Indian establishment. In fact, India was not happy with Prachanda since he was getting cozy with the Chinese and also become a party to the One Belt, One Road project. Now, India is likely to increase its influence in Nepal for its strategic ambitions," Sudhir Singh, Professor at Delhi University, told Sputnik.
Deuba has been Nepal's prime minister for three terms earlier, all of which didn't last for more than two years — from 1995 to 1997, from 2001 to 2002, and from 2004 to 2005. He has been the president of the Nepali Congress, despite the iron hold of the Koirala clan on the party. Deuba was also removed twice from the PM post by erstwhile monarch King Gyanendra in 2002 and 2005.
