Nepal communist leader is new premier

Prasad Oli will be leading a coalition government in Himalayan nation

The leader of Nepal’s communist party was named the Himalayan nation’s new prime minister yesterday, a day after the results of parliamentary elections were finalised.

Khadga Prasad Oli, who also served as prime minister in 2015, was to take the oath of office later yesterday, a spokesman for the president’s office said.

Oli will be leading a coalition government made up of his Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), which took the most seats in the November and December 2017 elections.

The poll results were made official Wednesday night, leading Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to resign earlier yesterday after eight months in office.

Oli’s biggest challenge as prime minister will be balancing Nepal’s relationship with its giant neighbours India and China, as well as managing lingering internal strife stemming from the country’s new constitution and transition from a monarchy.

The 2015 charter divided the nation into seven provinces that are now governed as a federal republic but sparked violent ethnic protests in southern Nepal that left more than 50 people dead and shut down the entire region for months.

The Madhesi ethnic group was unhappy with the constitution, believing they deserved more territory than assigned for their province. India supported the Madhesi and choked the supply of oil, medicine and other supplies to Nepal, resulting in severe shortages and making Oli’s first turn as prime minister a difficult one.

India factor

Landlocked Nepal is surrounded by India on three sides and imports all of its oil and most supplies from India. It also shares a border with China.

India appears to be seeking a better relationship with Oli this time around. It sent Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj to Nepal earlier this month in an apparent move to woo the incoming alliance government.

Oli, 65, was born in a village in east Nepal and has been involved in politics since he was young.

AP Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba announces his resignation in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday. His resignation paves the way for a new government to take over power.

AP Nepal’s new Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli signs documents after taking the oath of office at the Presidential building in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday.