Deuba steps down, KP Oli takes oath as Nepal’s PM
KATHMANDU: CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli was on Thursday sworn in Nepal’s new Prime Minister though his allies in the CPNMaoist Center did not nominate any members for the council of ministers due to differences over a power-sharing arrangement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Oli and congratulated him on assuming office, ANI reported.
Oli, 65, assumed the post for the second time. He had earlier served as the premier from October 2015 to August 2016, when he had to step down after the CPNMaoist Center withdrew its support to the then government.
He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Bidya Devi Bhandari during a ceremony at the President’s Office and named two CPN-UML lawmakers to his cabinet. He will be Nepal’s 41st premier.
The CPN-Maoist Center led by former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” extended support to Oli but did not nominate any ministers following differences over a power-sharing arrangement. The CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Center had formed the Left Alliance last October and contested the elections jointly.
They had also decided to formally merge the two parties and leaders from the two parties had held a marathon meeting on Wednesday evening. However, the CPN-UML’s reluctance to give a written assurance to the CPN-Maoist Center on Oli and Prachanda co-chairing the new communist party to be formed after the merger and on the rotation of the post of prime minister between the two leaders has led to differences, Maoist leaders said.
Ahead of Oli’s swearing-in by the President, outgoing Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba announced his resignation.
The swearing-in was held 69 days after the completion of elections to the federal and provincial assemblies. According to constitutional provisions, the president appoints the leader who has majority votes as the premier but the leader has to prove his majority in Parliament within 30 days.
The Left Alliance garnered a majority in the polls to the House of Representatives and the state assemblies, which were held in two phases late last year.