Revolutionary leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, commonly known as Prachanda, heads the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and is the nation's first Prime Minister under its new Republican government.VOA News: Nepal Selects Maoist Leader as Prime Minister (August 15, 2008) He is a long-standing opponent of the Nepalese monarchy.
Civil War Leadership
Prachanda led the People's Liberation Army, which instigated the Nepalese Civil War. It lasted from 1996 to 2006, and cost nearly 13,000 livesHuman Rights Watch: Nepal's Civil War - The Conflict Resumes (March, 2006), which has made Prachanda a controversial figure in the 2008 elections.
Support for Elections
The 2008 Nepalese Elections posed an opportunity for Prachanda's Maoist followers to influence the drafting of the new Nepalese Constitution. Consequently, he encouraged party members to keep the peace in the days leading up to the elections.Thaindian News: Prachanda urges Maoists to maintain peace ahead of polls (April 9, 2008)
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Fast Facts
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Also known as
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Born
December 11, 1954 in Kaski, Nepal
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Political party
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His philosophy specifically adapted for Nepal is known as the Prachanda Path
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Strongly opposed the Nepalese monarchy
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Led rebel army in the Nepalese Civil War against King Gyanendra
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Active participant in the 2008 Nepalese Elections
