KP Oli sworn in as Nepal Prime Minister, retains former cabinet
KP Sharma Oli was sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister on Friday, days after he lost a crucial vote of confidence in Parliament.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to Oli, 69, as the 43rd Prime Minister of Nepal at a ceremony at Shital Niwas, the presidential palace.
Oli was appointed as prime minister by the president in his capacity as leader of the largest political party in Nepal’s House of Representatives.
He was reappointed to the post on Thursday night as the Opposition parties failed to secure majority seats in Parliament to form a new government.
Oli, the Chairman of CPNUML, lost a crucial trust vote in the House of Representatives on Monday. He 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) of the Constitution would be initiated.
The ministers of Oli’s Cabinet were also sworn in during the ceremony. All the ministers and ministers of state from the old Cabinet have been included in the new Cabinet. Pradeep Gyawali has been reappointed as Foreign Minister while Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Poudyal were appointed as ministers for Home and Finance. The oath-taking ceremony was kept brief keeping in mind the raging Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun and Supreme