Kathmandu, June 04: Nepal's King Gyanendra today appointed his loyalist Surya Bahadur Thapa as new prime minister of the Himalayan kingdom, the Royal Palace said. "According to constitutional provisions, Surya Bahadur Thapa has been appointed as prime minister" and executive powers transferred to him, a palace statement said.
Thapa, of the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, will replace his party colleague Lokendra Bahadur Chand, who resigned last Friday following a month-long agitation by five major parties demanding restoration of democratic rights and formation of an all-party government.
This will be Thapa's fifth stint as premier.
The King had asked the 75-year-old Thapa to include representatives of major political parties in his government, government-run Radio Nepal said.
Thapa met King Gyanendra twice today, once in the morning and again in the afternoon, before his appointment was announced. Bureau Report