Understanding the Nepal Political Crises in Brief

 

Key Details :

• ·         Prime minister – KP Oli (belong to Nepal – Unified Marxist Leninist)
• ·         President – Bidhya Devi Bhandari
• ·         Prachnda Pushpa Kamal Duhal (Nepal Communist Party [Maoist])
• ·         Nepal Communist Party = Nepal Unified Marxist Leninist + Nepal Communist Party [Maoist]
• ·         Last election held on November 2017 ( 1^st election after the adoption of a new constitution in 2015)
• ·         Next election should be on Nov 2022.

November 2017 After the election in 2017 Nepal Unified Marxist Leninist and Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) formed an alliance to make Nepal Communist Party and govern the country. KP Oli and Prachnda Pushpa Kamal Duhal agreed to share the prime minister term of 2.5 years each. Which very clearly didn’t take place. This unfulfillment of the agreement by Prime minister KP Oli led to a lot of differences with the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) members. Also, a faction of the NCP has been accusing Oli of authoritarianism and side-lining them when making decisions and appointing members to key commissions and watchdog bodies.

December 2020 (The growing dissatisfaction over Mr Oli’s handling of COVID-19 pandemic)Prime minister KP Oli sensing the difference with the party and the rumours of a possible no-confidence vote against him acted first and with President Bhandari dissolved the parliament on 20^th December 2020.

February 2021 the Supreme Court overturned Bhandari’s decision and reinstated the parliament, paving the way for a no-confidence vote against Oli.

May 2021 Oli lost the confidence vote on May 10, as expected. But the opposition struggled to form a government, and Bhandari finally set a May 21 deadline for parties to demonstrate a majority. On May 21 opposition leader Deuba said he had 149 votes, while Oli said he had the backing of 153 members. Together, their figures exceeded the total number of members in parliament (275). Instead of taking pains to verify the signatures, President Bhandari issued a second proclamation dissolving the parliament. Set elections for November 12,2021 and November 19,2021 – more than a year before the parliament’s five-year term.