Nepal PM KP Oli Wins Two-Third Majority In Vote Of Confidence

Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli secured a vote of confidence in Parliament, receiving 188 votes in favour and 74 against.

President Ram Chandra Paudel (fourth from left) administers the oath of office to the newly elected Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli (second from right) during the swearing-in ceremony at Shital Niwas, in Kathmandu.

Source : PTI

Newly appointed Prime Minister of Nepal, K P Sharma Oli, has secured the vote of confidence in Parliament on Sunday, nearly a week after being sworn in to lead a coalition government in the Himalayan nation. Oli needed 138 votes but secured 188 votes, a two-thirds majority, in the 275-member parliament. A total of 74 lawmakers voted against him, while a member abstained.

Speaker of the HoR, Dev Raj Ghimire, announced his victory in the Lower House after the vote count. As the Parliament session began, PM Oli introduced the motion seeking a vote of confidence from the House.

According to PTI, the speaker allotted about 2 hours for HoR members and representatives from ruling and opposition parties to discuss the motion before giving him time to respond to the issues raised. The voting process began after the PM concluded his deliberations.

'I Was Not And Will Not Get Involved In Corruption Neither Will Tolerate': Oli

Addressing the issues raised by HoR members, Oli said, “I was not and will not get involved in corruption neither will tolerate if anyone practices so.” He said that the two larger parties “Nepali Congress and CPN-UML came together to maintain political stability, check corruption, and bring good governance.” “This coalition government will create a reliable eco-system for stability, development, and good governance,” asserted Oli.

According to the Kathmandu Post, the prime minister also expressed his commitment to making appropriate decisions concerning the misappropriation of cooperative funds, ensuring that those responsible for the fraud are brought to justice.

He added that the incumbent government's target was to dispel disappointment prevailing among the citizens.“The government was formed to convey enthusiasm to the citizens and lead the country towards rapid economic growth,” he also said.

House of Representatives members belonging to the ruling alliance Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party, and Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal were among those who voted in favour of Oli’s Vote of Confidence motion. Opposition parties such as CPN-Maoist Centre, CPN-Unified Socialist, Rashtriya Swotantra Party, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party voted against Oli during the floor test.

The veteran Communist leader was sworn in last Monday as the Himalayan nation's PM for the 4th time, along with 21 other Cabinet members. As per the Constitution of Nepal, Oli was required to secure a vote of confidence from Parliament within 30 days of appointment.

The Chairman of the CPN-UML, the largest communist party of Nepal, was appointed prime minister by President Ram Chandra Paudel to lead a coalition government with the Nepali Congress (NC), the largest party in Parliament, along with other smaller parties. Oli succeeded Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' who lost a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on July 12.

Nepal has experienced frequent political turmoil, having seen 14 governments in the past 16 years since the introduction of the Republican system.