New Delhi: K P Sharma Oli on Monday was sworn in as Nepal's Prime Minister for the fourth time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, congratulated K P Sharma Oli, the leader of Nepal's largest communist party, who was reappointed as Nepal's Prime Minister for a fourth term on Sunday. In a social media post, PM Modi wrote: "Congratulations @kpsharmaoli on your appointment as the Prime Minister of Nepal. Look forward to working closely to further strengthen the deep bonds of friendship between our two countries and to further expand our mutually beneficial cooperation for the progress and prosperity of our peoples."
Oli's oath ceremony today
On Sunday evening, KP Sharma Oli, adorned for the occasion, greeted a jubilant crowd of supporters outside his Balkot residence after securing his fourth term as prime minister. His appointment came after outgoing prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal failed to garner the confidence of the House of Representatives during Friday's floor test. President Ram Chandra Paudel subsequently invoked Article 76 (2) of the constitution, inviting political parties to form a new government.
President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Oli, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), as the new Prime Minister under Article 76-2 of the Constitution of Nepal, according to a notice issued by the President’s Office. Oli became the Prime Minister with the support of the Nepali Congress, the largest party in Parliament.
Oli's swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at 11 am on Monday at Shital Niwas, the main building of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
On Friday night, Oli staked his claim to become the next Prime Minister with the backing of NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba and submitted the signatures of 165 House of Representatives (HoR) members -- 77 from his Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) party and 88 from the Nepali Congress. CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Prachanda lost the vote of confidence in HoR during a floor test on Friday.
Deuba-Oli brokered a deal
Earlier last week, Nepali Congress president Deuba and CPN-UML chairman Oli inked a seven-point deal to form a new coalition government replacing Prachanda. The two leaders agreed that the remaining term of the Parliament would be shared between them turn by turn.
According to the July 1 deal between Congress chief Deuba and UML chair Oli, the two parties will lead the government on a rotational basis until the next general elections scheduled for 2027. Prime Minister Oli will form a small cabinet on Monday, according to sources close to him. Other political parties including Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party, Janamat Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party are also likely to join the government.
Oli served as Nepal's prime minister from October 11, 2015, to August 3, 2016 and then, from February 5, 2018, to July 13, 2021. He continued to serve from May 13, 2021, to July 13, 2021 -- because of an appointment by the then President Bidya Devi Bhandari, described by local media as a success of Oli’s Machiavellian tricks. Later, the Supreme Court ruled that Oli's claim to the post of prime minister was unconstitutional. Nepal has faced frequent political turmoil as the country has seen 14 governments in the past 16 years after the Republican system was introduced.
(With inputs from agency)
Also Read: Who is KP Sharma Oli and how his upcoming government will impact India-Nepal ties?
