From guerilla warfare to power

For Maoist chief Prachanda, whose first stint as the Prime Minister ended after a run-in with the army, life has come full circle as the former guerilla leader takes over as the Prime Minister for a second time.

Prachanda’s career has been characterised by his ceaseless battle to turn his country into a socialist-communist people’s republic.

It was for this ideal that he fought a bloody 10-year war against the monarchy, going on to serve a brief stint as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2009. During the period of monarchy, Prachanda spent years hiding in Nepal’s jungles, directing a guerilla war against the state that ended with a 2006 peace deal.

Prachanda’s elevation comes at a time when the country is battling deep divisions over the country’s new Constitution.

Born to Muktiram Dahal and Bhawani Dahal in 1954 in Kashki district in western Nepal, Prachanda entered active politics in 1979 by joining CPN-Maoists. He became central member of the party in 1985 and elected general secretary of CPN-M in 1990. He received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science. He was also a school teacher for four years.

Prachanda became the general secretary of CPN-Maoist in 1995, a year after the party lost all its seats in the polls. He was given the title of the Supreme Commander of the People’s Liberation Army, the Maoist guerilla force, in 2001.