Kathmandu, August 1
A deadline set by Nepal’s President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to political parties to name a consensus Prime Minister elapsed yesterday with leaders failing to come up with a common candidate.
The President has already written to Parliament to choose a new Prime Minister through simple majority.
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is in all likelihood certain to become Prime Minister Oli’s successor. Here’s how:
Prachanda’s party and his key backer Sher Bahadur Deuba’s party together have 288 votes, just 10 shy of the magic number of 298.
The Maoist supremo has already received support from fringe parties, who have 10 seats in Parliament. So even without the support of the Madheshi Morcha, and Gachhadar’s Forum Loktantrik, Prachanda can secure majority in Parliament. But Prachanda knows that support of the Morcha as well as the fringe parties, and the RPP, will be needed to ‘diversify’ support so that the coalition does not falter when a junior partner pulls out.
According to Parliament sources. election has been scheduled for Wednesday.
