Nepal’s Oli wins vote of confidence with support from Madhesi parties

2013, the 64-year-old former governor of Fujian province has gradually consolidated power, taking control of China’s key institutions. He is the chairperson of the powerful Central Military Commission and was designated the “core” of the party in 2016.

Soon after taking over, Xi launched a massive anticorruption campaign, which, his critics say, was used for purging his political opponents, besides netting thousands of officials.

His international connectivity and infrastructure programme, the Belt and Road Initiative has garnered worldwide attention with dozens of countries joining it.

Speculation that Xi intended to stay beyond his tenure was rife in the run-up to the once-infive year CPC congress last October. The speculation got stronger when, breaking from tradition, Xi didn’t appoint a successor at the end of the October congress.

It was later revealed that Xi had presided over a meeting on the CPC politburo as early as September when it was decided to change the Constitution.

The move has faced both domestic and international criticism. “China needs a certain amount of centralisation. But what do we do after the centralisation ? If it is back to the Mao era, of course, the centralisation is a bad thing ,” said professor Hu Xingdou, a Beijing-based expert.

Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Oli sailed through a vote of confidence on Sunday, winning a two-thirds majority for a ruling alliance for the first time since the restoration of democracy, with support from two Madhesi parties.

Having gained the backing of Madhes-based Rastriya Janata Party Nepal and Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum, the ruling Left Alliance of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) now has a clear majority in the 275-seat parliament. Out of the 268 votes cast, Oli received 208 , while 60 legislators opposed the motion.

The floor test assumes significance as all major posts such as president, vice president, prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker will go to the ruling parties.

Rastriya Janata Party Nepal and Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum, which have 17 and 16 seats respectively in the House, are likely to join the government and have been bargaining for the posts of vice president and deputy speaker.

Their support to Oli came as a surprise to many, given their past acrimony. Oli was considered an “anti-Madhesi” leader. He had often lashed out in public against Madhesi leaders and never tried to hear their demands such as amending the constitution.

Opposition Nepali Congress alleged that Oli was trying to become an “authoritarian” ruler. “We cannot understand the intent behind the two-thirds majority when he is sitting in comfortable majority,” said NC leader Gagan Thapa.

“Isn’t he wanting to become an authoritarian ruler with twothird votes?” he asked.

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