KP Sharma Oli on Thursday was re-appointed as the prime minister of Nepal after Opposition parties failed to secure a majority in the country’s Parliament to form the new government, PTI reported.
Thursday’s events were set into motion after Oli, 69, had lost a crucial trust vote on Monday. Following this, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari had asked the Opposition parties to come up with the support of majority lawmakers to stake claim to form the government by 9 pm on Thursday.
The Nepali Congress, under the leadership of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, on Tuesday had announced its intention to stake a claim for the prime minister’s post.
But ahead of Thursday’s deadline, Deuba informed his party colleagues and other allies that he could not manage a majority to stake claim for the post, and decided to withdraw from the race.
Subsequently, the president invited Oli again to form the government as he is the leader of the single-largest party, with 121 seats in Parliament. He will take the oath of office on Friday, according to PTI. However, as per rules, Oli is required to win the vote of confidence within 30 days from the date of the appointment.
Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 after Bhandari had dissolved the House and announced fresh elections between April 30 and May 10 amid a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party. But, the Supreme Court overturned that decision and recommended a meeting of the House in 13 days.
Days after Oli decided to go for a floor test, the country’s Maoist Centre party, led by Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda, withdrew support to his government, reducing it into a minority one.
The ruling Nepal Communist Party has been witnessing an intra-party feud between two factions, one led by the prime minister, and another by Prachanda, also the executive chair of the party. In June, Oli had claimed that efforts were being made to oust him after his government redrew the country’s political map by incorporating three strategically important Indian territories.
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