Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba (2nd L) attends the oath ceremony at the President's office in Kathmandu, Nepal, June 7, 2017. Veteran Nepali politician Sher Bahadur Deuba was sworn-in as Nepal's 40th prime minister on Wednesday, a day after he was elected in the Parliament with the support of nearly two-thirds of the members of the 593-strong Parliament. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)
KATHMANDU, June 7 (Xinhua)-- Veteran Nepali politician Sher Bahadur Deuba was sworn-in as Nepal's 40th prime minister on Wednesday, a day after he was elected in the Parliament with the support of nearly two-thirds of the members of the 593-strong Parliament.
This is the the fourth time Deuba became the head of the government in the Himalayan nation. Deuba is also the president of Nepali Congress Party, the largest party in the Parliament.
Deuba, 70, was administered oath of office and secrecy by Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari here on Wednesday. He assumed office at the Singhdurbar Secretariat later in the day.
The new development has come following the resignation of Pushpa Kamal Dahal on May 24, who served as the premier of Nepal since August 4 last year.
Newly elected Prime Minister Deuba has formed a small cabinet incorporating three deputy prime ministers and four ministers on Wednesday.
According to the President's Office, Bijaya Kumar Gachhchadar, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Gopal Man Shrestha were appointed the deputy prime ministers.
Gachhchadar is the minister for federal affairs and local development, Mahara became the minister for foreign affairs while Shrestha will be in-charge of education in the Deuba-led Cabinet.
Janardan Sharma was appointed as the home minister and Gyanendra Bahadur Karki as the finance minister of Nepal respectively.
Farmullaha Mansoor became the labor minister while Prabhu Shah was appointed as the minister without portfolio.
Deuba was the sole candidate in the election for the post of prime minister as the main opposition Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and other parties did not contest the election held on Tuesday.
Dahal garned 388 votes while 170 votes were cast against his candidacy. A total of 558 were cast and Deuba needed 297 votes to prove his majority.
Deuba told local media that his top priorities would be holding second round of local body elections on June 28 at any cost and implement the new constitution promulgated in September 2015.
In terms of foreign affairs conduct, the newly elected prime minister said his government would focus on maintaining good relations with neighboring countries India and China.
Deuba served as the prime minister from 1995-1997, 2001-2002 and 2004-2005. Deuba was ousted by then King Gyanendra Shah in 2005 for failing to hold elections and to bring the then Maoist rebels to the negotiating table.
Deuba was born into a middle class family in 1946 from Dadheldhura District of Nepal, some 500 kilometers west of Capital City Kathmandu.
