K P Sharma Oli becomes Nepal PM for second time
CPN-UML chairperson K P Sharma Oli on Thursday became Nepal’s Prime Minister for the second time, over two months after his Left alliance routed the ruling Nepali Congress in the country’s historic parliamentary and local polls.
President Bidhya Devi Bhandari appointed 65-year-old Oli as the country’s 41st prime minister. Oli, who is known for his pro-China stance, had served as the country’s prime minister from October 11, 2015 to August 3, 2016. Oli’s PM candidacy was supported by the UCPN-Maoists, Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, and Madhesi Rights Forum-Democratic along with 13 other small parties.
Earlier, former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had addressed the nation and submitted his resignation to the president. Deuba was elected as the 40th Prime Minister on June 6 with the support from CPN (Maoist Centre) which is now a part of Left alliance and opting for a merger with CPN-UML. “The elections of three tiers of government have been successfully held under my leadership setting the foundation to long transition,” Deuba said in the television address.
The Left alliance of the CPN-UML, led by Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre, led by Prachanda, had in December secured 174 seats in the 275-member Parliament in the historic provincial and parliamentary polls that many hope will bring much-needed political stability to the Himalayan nation. It had also secured an overwhelming majority in the upper house of Parliament with 39 out of the 59 seats.
