Nepal PM Prachanda will face fifth round of trust vote today, major parties issue whips to vote against motion

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ will face his fifth round of vote of confidence motion today. The former Maoist rebel, who entered mainstream politics after political change of 2006, is taking his fifth vote of confidence in less than 20 months in power. 

The chances of Dahal losing his Prime Minister post reached an all-time high after CPN-UML, the largest coalition partner withdrew its support on July 3. After getting elected on December 25, 2022, Dahal is leading the minority government since then. 

Majority parties in the Nepali parliament — the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist) and Janata Samajbadi Party have issued whip to its lawmakers to stand against the confidence motion set to be tabled in parliament today by PM Dahal. 

The UML issued whip on July 10 to vote against Prachanda, who always has been flipping the sides to save his rule. The largest communist party of Nepal, which stands second in terms of seats in parliament has 78 votes in the 275-seat parliament. 

Dahal’s government has to get 138 votes to secure a majority in the 275-strong House. 

The Nepali Congress, largest and the oldest party of the Himalayan Nation having 89 seats in the parliament also issued whip to vote against the confidence motion. 

Ramesh Lekhak, chief party whip of Nepali Congress, on July 11 issued notice asking its lawmakers to be mandatorily present and vote against the motion. 

Apart from the Congress and UML, other parties namely the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (14), Janamat Party (6), Janata Samajbadi Party (12), Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (4) and Nagarik Unmukti Party (3) have already fielded themselves to vote against the confidence motion. 

As per the understanding between the UML and Congress, UML supremo KP Sharma Oli will lead a ‘national consensus government’ for a year and a half if Dahal fails in the fourth-floor test. 

(With agency inputs)