Oli reappointed as Nepal’s PM

Press Trust of India

K P Sharma Oli, in his capacity as leader of the largest political party in Nepal’s parliament, was reappointed as prime minister on Thursday night after the opposition parties, riddled by factionalism, failed to secure majority seats to form a new government.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari reappointed CPN-UML chairman Oli, 69, as PM, three days after he lost a trust vote in the House of Representatives.

The president’s office in a press statement on Thursday evening said Bhandari reappointed Oli as PM in his capacity as leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives as per Article 78(3) of the country’s constitution.

Bhandari will administer the oath of office to Oli at a ceremony at Shital Niwas on Friday.

KATHMANDU:

The president had asked the opposition parties to come up with the support of majority lawmakers to form a new government by 9pm on Thursday after Oli had lost the vote of confidence in the House on Monday.

Oli’s reappointment came shortly after the president’s office said that no two parties or more than two parties came to lay claim to forming coalition government by the deadline.

Oli will now have to take a vote of confidence at the House within 30 days, failing which, an attempt to form a government under Article 76 (5) would be initiated.

Should both the steps fail, the House may face another dissolution and the country will move towards the direction of early elections. Opposition parties had been engaged in hectic negotiations to form a coalition government for the past three days, but failed to muster a majority.