‘New PM says committed to strengthening ties with India’
Kathmandu, July 15: K P Sharma Oli on Monday was sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister for the fourth time to lead a new coalition government that faces the daunting challenge of providing political stability in the Himalayan nation.
The leader of Nepal’s largest communist party was appointed as prime minister on Sunday by President Ram Chandra Paudel to lead the coalition government with Nepali Congress (NC), the largest party in Parliament, apart from other smaller parties.
Oli, 72, succeeds Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ who lost the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives (HoR) on Friday, leading to the formation of the new government.
There are 10 cabinet ministers from Nepali Congress; eight, excluding PM, from CPN-UML, two from Janata Samajwadi Party and one from Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party in the government.
Newly appointed Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Monday said he was committed to working with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on strengthening Nepal-India relations and elevating the bilateral ties to new heights.
Responding to Prime Minister Modi’s congratulatory message on his appointment as Nepal’s prime minister for the fourth time, Oli thanked the Indian leader for his warm wishes.
Writ filed challenging Oli’s appointment as PM
A writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court of Nepal on Monday challenging the appointment of K P Sharma Oli as the country’s new prime minister by President Ramchandra Paudel, arguing that it was unconstitutional.
Three advocates — Deepak Adhikari, Khagendra Prasad Chapagain and Shailendra Kumar Gupta — filed the writ and sought the annulment of Oli’s appointment as the prime minister, according to Supreme Court officials.
The advocates argued that the president should call for the formation of a new government under Article 76 (3) if a government formed as per Article 76 (2) fails the floor test in the House of Representatives.
The apex court has set July 21 as the date for a preliminary hearing in the case. Paudel on Sunday appointed Oli, 72, as the prime minister after the newly appointed premier submitted signatures from 165 members of the House of Representatives to the President on Friday.
Oli, the Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), was appointed Nepal’s prime minister for a fourth term on Sunday to lead a new coalition government. (PTI)