Koirala: Nepal146;s Grand Old Man

Nepal8217;s seven main political parties have announced that former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala would head the new government.

Nepal8217;s seven main political parties have announced that former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala would head the new government.

Eighty-four-year-old Koirala, who had held the post of Prime Minister thrice, is a scion of the first political family of Nepal, which had led the Nepali Congress8212;the country8217;s oldest and largest party8212;for most of the 60 years since its inception.

8226; He is the third prime minister of his family, preceded by brothers V P Koirala and M P Koirala.

8226; Girija Prasad Koirala rose to prominence in late 8217;40s as a trade Union leader. He spent seven years in jail and had been a political exile in India after then King Mahendra banned political parties in 1960.

8226; In 1991, he became Nepal8217;s first elected Prime Minister in 30 years, after violent protests against King Birendra8217;s absolute power led to restoration of multi-party democracy.

8226; His stints as the prime minister were from 1991-1994, 1998-1999, 2000-2001.

8226; He was forced to leave office for the first time in November 1994 because the Nepali Congress was unable to continue a coalition government. Soon after a long period of instability began.

Story continues below this ad

8226; The last time, in 2000, Koirala rode to power on an anti-corruption plank and had promised to stamp out the Maoist rebellion which aimed to topple the constitutional monarchy.

8226; But in July 2001, he was forced to quit amid turmoil after the massacre of the royal family. Insurgency had spread rapidly and the rebels were ready to hold talks only if he stepped down.

8226; Koirala was elected Chief of the Nepali Congress for a third term in 2005. He had vowed to step up protests against King Gyanendra, who had grabbed absolute power in February.

8226; Koirala was arrested or detained several times over the past 14 months of royal absolute rule.