Kathmandu, July 16: The CPN-UML’s faction led by ousted former prime minister K P Sharma Oli on Friday decided to vote against newly-appointed Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba when he seeks a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives.
This was decided at a standing committee meeting of the party held in Kathmandu. It also decided to remain in the Opposition bench in Parliament, according to a statement issued by the party.
The meeting, chaired by Oli, also endorsed the 10-point proposal forwarded by the party’s task force formed to resolve intra-party disputes.
However, leaders close to dissident party leader Madhav Kumar Nepal boycotted the high-level meeting. The UML (Unified Marxist–Leninist) dissident leaders are likely to vote in favour of Deuba during the vote of confidence. UML’s support will be crucial for the survival of Prime Minister Deuba.
Nepal commands 23 UML Lawmakers, who put their signatures when Deuba staked claim for premiership before the President Bidya Devi Bhandari a couple of months ago.
A five-member Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana on Monday reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives for a second time in five months.
The bench issued a mandamus to appoint then 75-year-old Opposition Leader and Nepali Congress chief Deuba as the Prime Minister and also ordered a new session of the House of Representatives on July 18. Deuba took the oath of office and secrecy on July 13. (PTI)