Turmoil after Nepal prime minister resigns

Nepal's Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal has resigned, pushing the country back into turmoil as political parties scrambled to form a new coalition government and draft a new constitution.

Khanal, a moderate communist, was elected six months ago and vowed to carry out the promises made in a 2006 peace deal with Maoist rebels.

But political in-fighting blocked his attempts to help thousands of ex-Maoist fighters living in camps, and to prepare Nepal's first republican constitution after the monarchy was abolished in 2008.

"I have resigned to pave the way for a national consensus government," Khanal said yesterday after tendering his resignation.

Nepal has been in political turmoil since Maoist leader Prachanda quit as prime minister in 2009.