Nepal PM Prachanda loses confidence vote, Oli set to take charge

Prachanda had to seek the mandatory vote of confidence  — the fifth since last December — as his ally for the past four months, Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), withdrew support and allied with the Nepali Congress (NC).

As per the agreement, UML chairman K P Oli will be the next Prime Minister with NC as the coalition partner. The agreement inked on July 2 at midnight also envisages NC chief Sher Bahadur Deuba succeeding Oli after about 22 months for the latter half of the current tenure of Parliament.

Meanwhile, President Ram Chandra Poudel Friday invited political parties to explore the formation of a new government under Article 76( 2) by 5 pm on Sunday. However, Oli furnished proof of majority late Friday as he, along with Deuba, met the President. The new government will have to seek a mandatory vote of confidence within 30 days.

Prachanda’s fall comes a month after he publicly boasted that there will be “upheavals” as long as he is in power and getting rid of him would not be easy as numerically he is positioned advantageously. With just 32 members in a hung Parliament that has 275 members, he had been able to acquire the support of two big parties — UML and NC — at times one replacing the other as allies.

In his 90-minute speech in the House, Prachanda said he was worried not over the loss of the government, but over the possibility of the return of regressive and dictatorial forces.

He also warned that the talk about the review of the Constitution — a joint agenda of the NC and the UML — had all the potential to encourage such forces.

Yogesh Bhattarai, a prominent UML parliamentarian said the amendment would take place within the ambit of the progressive vision of the current Constitution. Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak, who is expected to become the Home Minister in the new coalition, said the Constitution is not something that should be left untouched.

Prachanda warned the would-be governing parties not to dismantle any progressive achievements like the empowerment of Dalits, women, and ethnic groups made after the revolution and urged the parties to consider giving 50 per cent reservation for women in public offices.