Power Tussle In Nepal: PM KP Oli Dissolves Parliament Amid Party Feud; Fresh Polls In April 2021

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari upon the recommendation of the council of ministers, ratified the proposal to dissolve the House of Representatives.

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Amid a power tussle within the ruling Nepal Communist Party, Nepal's embattled Prime Minister KP Oli on Sunday dropped a bombshell on his rivals as he announced dissolution of the Parliament. According to the reports, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari upon the recommendation of the council of ministers, ratified the proposal to dissolve the House of Representatives. Nepal's House of Representatives, elected in 2017, currently has 275 members. The next general election was due in 2022, however, the President of the Himalayan country announced that fresh polls will be held in the country between April 30 and May 10 next year.

The major development came after PM Oli on Sunday morning held an emergency meeting recommending the President to dissolve the federal parliament as his party said he had lost majority support. Oli reportedly convened the cabinet meeting at 9:45 AM and made the decision in less than an hour. Nepal's Energy Minister Barsaman Pun confirmed that at an emergency meeting called by PM KP Sharma Oli, the council of ministers recommends to dissolve the Parliament. "It (recommendation) has been sent to the President," he added. According to news agency ANI, Narayankaji Shrestha, Spokesperson of ruling Nepal Communist Party said, "The decision has been made in haste as all the ministers weren’t present in the cabinet meeting this morning. This is against the democratic norms & would take the nation backwards. It can’t be implemented." Meanwhile, seven ministers of Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli led Cabinet resigned following Oli's recommendation to dissolve the Parliament and President's ratification of the recommendation.