Kathmandu- Nepal's constituent assembly Friday voted the former rebel chief Pushpa Kamal Dhahal, alias Prachanda as the country's new prime minister.

The vote ended nearly four months of political deadlock, paving the way for the formation of a new government led by the Maoists.

Lawmakers from 22 of the 25 parties represented in the assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of Maoist chairman Prachanda by signing their names in his support.

The vote gave Prachanda a two-thirds majority of the 596 members in the assembly. Official figures were expected later.

Nepali Congress candidate Sher Bahadur Deuba received votes from only his party members while two fringe parties boycotted the voting.

Prachanda's victory was made possible after the moderate Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist and the ethnic Madhesi People Right Forum decided to support his candidacy.

Nepalese media reports said the two parties are assured key ministries including home and information and communications in return for their support.

The Maoist emerged as the single largest party in the assembly after the April election. With 220 seats, the Maoists however, are well short of a majority to form a government on their own.

The voting became necessary after the Maoists missed an extended deadline given to them by President Ram Baran Yadav to seek agreements of the parties to form a consensus government.

Nepali Congress meanwhile, said it would not join the Maoist led government and would stay in the opposition.

Last month, the assembly elected Nepal's first president in which a Maoist candidate was defeated, triggering a bitter rivalry between the Nepali Congress and the Maoists.

The Maoists were involved in a decade long insurgency to overthrow the monarchy and establish Nepal as a communist republic. The fighting left nearly 14,000 people dead.

The Maoist formally gave up fighting after signing a peace deal with the government in November 2006 which enabled them to enter mainstream politics. dpa