July 14th 2024.
Kathmandu was abuzz with news on Sunday as KP Sharma Oli, the prominent leader of Nepal's largest communist party, was appointed as the Prime Minister for the fourth time. This new coalition government faces the daunting task of providing political stability in the beautiful Himalayan nation. At 72 years old, Oli takes the reins from Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as 'Prachanda', who lost a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on Friday. This led to the formation of a new government process, in accordance with Article 76 of the Constitution.
In an official notice from the President's Office, it was announced that Oli, who is also the Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, was appointed as the new Prime Minister under Article 76-2 of the Constitution. His appointment was made with the support of the Nepali Congress, the largest party in Parliament. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 11 am on Monday at Shital Niwas, the main building of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
However, Oli's journey is not yet complete as he must secure a vote of confidence from Parliament within 30 days of his appointment, as mandated by the Constitution. This means he will need a minimum of 138 votes in the 275-seat House of Representatives. On Friday night, Oli confidently staked his claim to the Prime Minister position with the backing of NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba. He also submitted the signatures of 165 House of Representatives members, with 77 from his own party and 88 from the Nepali Congress.
This development comes after CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Prachanda lost the vote of confidence in the House on Friday. The Nepali Congress president Deuba and CPN-UML chairman Oli had previously reached a seven-point agreement to form a new coalition government, replacing Prachanda. The two leaders have agreed to share the remaining term of the Parliament, taking turns in leading the government.
According to the agreement made on July 1, the two parties will take turns leading the government until the next general elections in 2027. It is expected that Prime Minister Oli will form a small cabinet on Monday, according to sources close to him. Other political parties, such as Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party, Janamat Party, and Nagarik Unmukti Party are also likely to join the government.
Oli's previous tenure as Prime Minister was from October 11, 2015, to August 3, 2016, and then from February 5, 2018, to July 13, 2021. He also briefly served from May 13, 2021, to July 13, 2021, after an appointment by the then President Bidya Devi Bhandari, which was seen as a result of Oli's cunning tactics. However, the Supreme Court later ruled that Oli's claim to the Prime Minister position was unconstitutional.
Nepal has faced numerous political upheavals, with 14 governments in the past 16 years since the Republican system was introduced. But with Oli at the helm once again, there is hope for a more stable future for the country.
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