 "Nepal's new PM Khadga Prasad Oli (right) and his predecessor Sushil Koirala(left) after Oli took the oath of office")
Senior Communist leader K P Sharma Oli was today sworn in as Nepal's Prime Minister, at a critical time when the country is grappling with major challenges like protests and blockade of a key border trade point with India over the country's new Constitution.
63-year-old Oli, who was elected as Prime Minister in Parliament yesterday, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Ram Baran Yadav at his official residence here.
He formed a small cabinet of two Deputy Prime Ministers and five other ministers. The Deputy Prime Ministers were Bijay Kumar Gachhadar, president of Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum Democratic, and Kamal Thapa, president of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal. They were apparently rewarded for their support to Oli in Parliament.
Gachhadar has been allocated the portfolio of Physical Planning and Transport while Thapa got Foreign Affairs. Oli, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), has earlier served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister in the Girija Prasad Koirala-led interim government formed immediately after the 2006 'People's Movement'.
He took over as the 38th Prime Minister at a critical time as Nepal has been wracked by violent protests by Madhesis who are against the new Constitution adopted last month.
The agitating Madhesis, who are Indian-origin inhabitants of the Terai region bordering India, say that the new Constitution does not guarantee enough rights and representation to the Madhesi and Tharu communities residing in southern Nepal.
The country has also been locked in a diplomatic standoff with India over the supply of essential goods, including petroleum products, which has been hit due to blockade of border trade points with India following the violence.
In voting held in Parliament yesterday, Oli garnered 338 votes, 39 more than the 299 that he needed to be elected. He defeated outgoing Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, who could secure only 249 votes. A total of 587 members cast their votes. Lawmakers were not allowed to stay neutral during the voting.
While Oli was backed by UCPN-Maoist, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic and some fringe parties; four Madhes parties in the United Democratic Madhesi Front had supported NC leader Koirala who himself became prime minister with the support from CPN-UML in 2014.
