KP Sharma Oli refuses to quit, to face floor test

Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli will face the floor test rather than resigning, as he is riding on what he calls “constitutional complexities” to buy time. Prime Minister Oli, who faces the challenge of proving majority in Parliament following a no-confidence motion brought against him, said at a Parliamentary Party meeting of the CPN-UML on Thursday that constitutional complexities will prevent the formation of a new government, reported the Kathmandu Post.

Citing Article 298 of the Constitution, which reads: “The council of ministers existing at the time of commencement of this Constitution shall remain until the transformed legislature-Parliament constitutes a new Council of Ministers.”

Prime Minister Oli insisted on facing the House instead of resigning. At the meeting, the Prime Minister also briefed his parliamentarians about the latest political situation after the Maoist Centre withdrew its support from the coalition government. He told the lawmakers that “as per Article 298 of the Constitution, (the government) will remain until next parliamentary elections take place”. “Prime Minister Oli will not resign but will face no-confidence motion in Parliament,” said minister for information and communication Sher Dhan Rai after the meeting. According to minister for industry Som Prasad Pandey, Prime Minister Oli also hinted that “some foreign forces” had played a role in forcing the Maoist Centre to pull out of the left coalition.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) on Friday decided to block three major bills related to the annual budget announcement at the Parliament until the House voted on a “no-confidence motion” filed against present Prime Minister Oli-led government. The CPN Maoist Centre is also holding its central office meeting to discuss contemporary political issues including formation of a new government under its leadership, reports the Himalayan Times.

According to the party sources, the meeting would discuss taking other fringe parties into confidence to endorse its ‘no-confidence motion’ against Prime Minister Oli and government formation in alliance with the Nepali Congress, among other issues. The meeting is taking place at the party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s residence in Lazimpat.