CPN-UML President JhalanathKhanal was born on March 19, 1950 in Sankhejung-4, Ilam. He holds Bachelor’s Degrees in Science and Humanities stream.

Khanal is the 34^th prime minister of Nepal. He was elected as prime minister on February 3, 2011 and remained in the office till August 29, 2011. He has also held various ministries.

He began his political career from ANNFSU and became politburo member of the then CPN-ML and went on to be chosen as the party’s general secretary. In 1991, he became the standing committee member for CPN-UML, the party formed with the unification of the then CPN-ML and CPN-Marxist. He was later elected as president of CPN-UML by the party convention held in Butwal in 2010.

Khanal taught science for a year in Galkot High School in Baglung but was arrested on charge of being involved in politics while being in teaching profession, leading to his expulsion from the school. He was again arrested in Ilam later and served a jail term of 14 months. He was again arrested and jailed for six months.

He was one of the senior leaders of the left front during the historic 1990 people's movement. After the restoration of democracy in 1990, Khanal was appointed Minister for Agriculture, Land Reforms, and Forest and Environment in the interim government. He won the 1991 legislative election from Ilam and became Minister for Information and Communications in 1997.

In the CA Election-2008, Khanal was elected from Ilam-1 with 13,856 votes. He was part of a controversy revolving around the sacking of then Chief of Army Staff RookmangudKatawal in 2009. UCPN-Maoist has blamed Khanal for cheating by backing off from his earlier nod to sack the CoAS.BamdevGautam, Deputy PM and Home Minister in the government representing CPN-UML, has openly accepted the accusation.

Khanal is also accused of not supporting his own party's senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal's government and trying to form the government under his own leadership. He is known to be a leader not liked by southern neighbor India. He did not even receive formal invitation from India for a visit when he was the prime minister.

Also known for his literary creations, Khanal writes under penname 'Abhimanyu'. He has keen interest in studying Marxist literature and has authored over 10 books so far.