Embattled Nepal PM Oli to seek trust vote on May 10

Kathmandu, May 3

Nepal’s embattled Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will seek a vote of confidence from Parliament on May 10 in his bid to stay in power.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari, on the recommendation of Oli, summoned a Parliament session on May 10 to obtain a vote of confidence in his government, according to an official statement on Sunday.

Oli, 69, requires at least 136 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament, to win the confidence motion as four members are currently under suspension. During a Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Oli said that he would try to win the trust of Parliament to stay in power, Nepalease media reported.

Political crisis

• Nepal plunged into a political crisis on Dec 20 last year after the House was dissolved and fresh polls announced on PM KP Oli’s recommendation
• Move sparked protests from a section of the NCP led by PM’s rival Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, also the party’s co-chair

Oli’s decision comes amid the current chaotic state of political affairs in the country that emerged since the Prime Minister’s controversial move to dissolve the House of Representatives in December last year.

“The PM will seek a vote of confidence on May 10,” Lila Nath Shrestha, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, told the Kathmandu Post. “This is just a day-long session.” Shrestha said Oli wants to take a vote of confidence to take the political process which has been stuck now, forward. The government believes it will win the vote of confidence. If not, the process will move forward for the formation of a coalition government.

“This is also an opportunity for other parties to form the government otherwise the country will move in the direction of the snap poll,” he said.

Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at Oli’s recommendation of Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP). The move sparked protests from a large section of the NCP led by his rival Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', also a co-chair of the ruling party. In February, the apex court had reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives.

Oli repeatedly defended his move to dissolve the House of Representatives, saying some leaders of his party were attempting to form a "parallel government". — PTI

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