Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to seek 3rd vote of confidence by March 13

Kathmandu, March 9

Nepal’s PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda is planning to seek a vote of confidence in Parliament by March 13, days after he forged a new alliance with the CPN-UML. The third round of vote of confidence comes after Prachanda, a former guerilla leader, dumped the Nepali Congress and forged a new alliance with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) – the second-biggest party – led by former premier KP Sharma Oli on Monday.

According to constitutional provisions, PMs have to take a vote of confidence after any ally withdraws support. Prachanda informally discussed the matter within his close circle and the parliamentary party meeting of the CPN-Maoist Centre decided to issue a whip to all of its lawmakers to be present compulsorily in the Lower House during the voting on March 13, according to the party’s secretary Ganesh Shah.