As the two candidates — Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) and Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel — who contested the prime ministerial election on Wednesday did not get a simple majority to lead a new government, the poll would be held again on Friday.
Voting was held in Parliament, where the chairman of the largest political party, Mr. Prachanda, got 242 votes, five more than the total number of seats. Mr. Paudel, who is the parliamentary party leader of the second largest party, secured 124 votes, 10 more than the number of his party seats.
As per the interim constitution, a candidate must acquire a simple majority of 300 votes from the 599 Constituent Assembly members to be declared winner.
Constituent Assembly Chairman Subhas Chandra Nembang said the proposals to elect Mr. Prachanda and Mr. Paudel were “rejected by the majority.”
Although CPN(UML) chairman Jhalanath Khanal's name was proposed, his candidacy was withdrawn as per his party's earlier decision that he would contest only when a two-thirds majority or 401 signatures to support his nomination were received.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who had proposed Mr. Khanal's name, withdrew it as 401 votes were unlikely.
