Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, more popularly known as Prachanda, was elected Prime Minister of Nepal today, defeating his only opponent Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress Party by an overwhelming majority.

The direct contest saw Prachanda getting 464 votes of the 577 ballots cast in the 601-strong Constituent Assembly. Three parties — Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party, Rashtriya Jana Shakti and Rastriya Janamorcha — abstained from the voting.

As Speaker Subash Nemwang declared Prachanda the winner, Deuba conceded defeat and assured that his party would extend full support in preparing the Constitution. The Congress has decided to sit in the opposition.

Prachanda, chief of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (CPN-M), was backed by two other major parties — the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) — and other smaller parties.

Stating that he would still try to run the government on the basis of consensus, Prachanda said he would be very happy if the Nepali Congress joined the government too. The decision of the CPN-UML and MJF to support the Maoist leader’s candidature followed their understanding to share major ministries — nine for Maoists, six for UML and four for MJF. Among the ministries that the Maoists will keep are Defence, Finance, Physical Planning and Works.

The Congress’s decision to field its own candidate and not be a part of the Maoist-led coalition was triggered by the Maoists’ stand that it would not give up its demand for the Defence Ministry. The Congress had pointed out that since the People’s Liberation Army — the private army of the Maoists — was still intact, the Maoists should not be commanding the national Armed Forces as well.