Nepal Opposition parties reach President's office to stake claim for new government under Sher Bahadur Deuba

Kathmandu [Nepal], May 21 (ANI): An alliance of opposition parties led by Nepali Congress has reached the official residence of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to stake a claim for the formation of a new government under former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. 

According to Himalayan Times, the alliance of political parties including the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center), the Upendra Yadav-faction of Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) and the ruling CPN-UML’s Madhav Nepal faction has claimed to have the support of 149 lawmakers of the House of Representatives (HoR).

President Bidya Devi Bhandari, on Thursday, asked the lawmakers to stake claim for the premiership by 5 PM on Friday.

The alliance has proposed the name of NC President and Parliamentary Party Leader Sher Bahadur Deuba as the new Prime Minister to succeed incumbent Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

On Thursday, the government had recommended the president to initiate the formation of a new government pursuant to Article 76 (5) of the Constitution of Nepal as Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was not 'in the mood' to withstand another floor test.

After losing a trust vote on May 10, Oli was re-appointed as Prime Minister under Article 76 (3) as leader of the party with the highest number of members in the lower house.

Such a Prime Minister is required to seek a vote of confidence in parliament within one month of the appointment as per Article 76(4) of the constitution.

After Oli failed the vote of trust in parliament, President Bhandari had called on oppositions to come forward with a majority number to claim over the post of Prime Minister.

But the opposition failed in gathering support for Sher Bahadur Deuba who was seen as the fore-runner in the fray to become the next premier of the Himalayan nation.

Re-appointed as Prime Minister last Friday, Oli needed to secure a vote of confidence in the house by June 14 as per the constitution. (ANI)