Nepal Home Minister Khand becomes acting PM as Deuba begins India visit

Deuba had visited India in each of his four earlier stints as prime minister of Nepal. His last visit to India in his capacity as the prime minister was in 2017.The Prime Minister will return home on Sunday.

Nepalese Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand was on Friday given the responsibility of the acting Prime Minister after Sher Bahadur Deuba left for India on a three-day visit.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Deuba, designated Home Minister Khand as the acting Prime Minister in his absence.

Minister Khand will look after the daily administrative works of the Prime Minister for the next three days.

Deuba, who is Nepali Congress (NC) president, also appointed party vice-president Purna Bahadur Khadka as the party's acting president, NC Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel said.

It is Deuba's first bilateral visit abroad after becoming prime minister in July last year for a fifth time following a spell of political turmoil in Kathmandu. Deuba had visited India in each of his four earlier stints as prime minister of Nepal. His last visit to India in his capacity as the prime minister was in 2017.

The Prime Minister will return home on Sunday.