K P Sharma Oli was appointed Prime Minister for the fourth time by the head of Nepal's largest communist party, facing a paramount challenge: building political stability in the Himalayan nation headlining his new coalition government.
At 72, Oli takes over from Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' who was ousted from the office after Friday's vote of confidence in the House of Representatives, creating a new government under Article 76(2) of the constitution.
President Ram Chandra Poudel officially appointed Oli as the new prime minister. The confirmation was made through a statement from the President's Office.
Oli, who had previously been Nepal's leader, though controversially, will now assume power with the backing of the Nepali Congress, which holds a majority in parliament.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 11 am on Monday at Shital Niwas, the official residence of the President.
He needs to attract a minimum of 138 votes of confidence from the 275-seat HoR as per his constitutional obligations within 30 days from the date of appointment.
On Friday evening, Oli gained assurance from NC chief Sher Bahadur Deuba after submitting signatures of 165 HoR members: 77 from the CPN-UML itself and 88 from the Nepali Congress.
Prachanda, the chairman of the CPN-Maoist Centre, fails to secure much-needed support during the confidence vote on Friday.
Earlier in the week, Deuba and Oli inked a seven-point agreement in their bid to form a new coalition, effectively replacing Prachanda, and an agreement on rotational leadership of the government for the rest of the parliamentary term.
As per the deal of July 1, the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML will lead the government in each term until the general elections in 2027.
Media reports said Oli, who has to now induct a smaller cabinet, will do so on Monday.
Other parties expected to join the new coalition are the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party, Janamat Party, and Nagarik Unmukti Party.
Oli has been Prime Minister earlier as well—from October 11, 2015, to August 3, 2016, and from February 5, 2018, to July 13, 2021. He briefly served from May 13 to July 13, 2021, after an appointment by then President Bidya Devi Bhandari, seen as the result of strategic maneuvering by Oli, though later claimed as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
There has been a great political instability recorded in Nepal where there are 14 governments in the last 16 years after the country embraced the republican system.
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