President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the prime minister of Nepal.

This is Dahal’s third stint as the country’s chief executive. Bhandari appointed him as per Article 76 (2) of the constitution.

“The President appointed Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the new prime minister of the country today [Sunday],” said Tika Dhakal, a communication expert to the President. “With the support of all the parties in Parliament except the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Unified Socialist) and the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, Dahal laid claim to the post.”

According to Dhakal, Dahal’s swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 4 pm on Monday.

Dahal has the support of 169 members, including 78 from the CPN-UML, 32 from his own Maoist Centre party and 20 from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, apart from 14 of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, 12 from the Janata Samajbadi Party, six from Janamat Party, and four from Nagarik Unmukti Party. He also secured the backing of independent lawmakers Prabhu Sah, Kiran Kumar Sah and Amresh Kumar Singh.

President Bhandari had called the parties representing the House of Representatives to claim the prime ministerial position as per Article 76(2) of the constitution within 5pm Sunday.

Breaking the coalition led by the largest party Nepali Congress, Dahal joined hands with the second largest party UML after Congress President and outgoing prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba refused to allow him to lead the government for the first half of the five-year term.

With a new government formed at the centre, the new coalition of the seven parties seems to be headed to form governments in all the seven provinces as well.