PM Oli pushes for all-party govt in Nepal ahead of fresh elections

Kathmandu, May 28: Embattled Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on Friday urged all political parties to form an allparty government and hold fresh elections, as he tried to justify the controversial dissolution of the House of Representatives by the President, saying a “functionless” Parliament turned out to be the main source of instability in the country.

Going for an election can never be a regressive act, PM Oli said in a televised address to the nation, a week after the House was dissolved by President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

The president dissolved the 275-member House of Representatives on Saturday for the second time in five months and announced snap elections on November 12 and November 19 on the advice of Prime Minister Oli, who is heading a minority government.

PM Oli, 69, called upon the political parties to form an all-party government and hold elections, My Republica.com portal quoted him as saying.

Addressing the nation as the chief executive of the country, Oli took most of his time to criticise the moves taken by the Opposition parties and his fellow party leaders. He blamed the Opposition parties and dissident faction of the ruling CPN-UML for the dissolution of Parliament.

PM Oli said Parliament could not ensure stability in the country even after it was restored on February 23 through judicial intervention.

Though it was reinstated through the Supreme Court's verdict, it turned out to be functionless and the main source of instability in the country, he said.