UML Chair KP Oli after registering his candidacy for PM's post on Saturday. Photo: Bikram RaiCPN (UML) Chair KP Oli is all set to become Nepal's new Prime Minister with the backing of UCPN (M), RPP-N and other fringe parties.
UCPN (M) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Saturday proposed Oli's candidacy in Parliament, and RPP-N Chair Kamal Thapa seconded Dahal's proposal.
CPN (UML), UCPN (M) and RPP-N are second, third and fourth largest parties respectively in Parliament, and they have altogether 291 members of Parliament.
They just require nine more members of Parliament to elect Oli as Nepal's 38th Prime Minister, and fringe parties like CPN (ML), RPP, Rashtriya Janmorcha, Khambuwan Rashtriya Morcha, Dalit Janajati Party, Madhes Samata Party, Nepa Party and Bahujan have vowed to vote for him.
As second, third and fourth largest parties team up for Oli, the largest party, the NC, is likely to end up as the main opposition.
NC President Sushil Koirala also registered his candidacy with the support from senior party leaders Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ram Chandra Poudel, but he is unlikely to secure the required number of voters in Parliament to reclaim the PM's post.
Just before registering his candidacy, Koirala formally stepped down as Nepal's 37th Prime Minister.
After registering his candidacy for the country's top executive post, an elated Oli said: "I hope the NC will also join my government."
Koirala did not look confident. When asked if the NC could secure the majority, he just said: "Let's see."
After the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections in November 2013, NC had formed a coalition government with UML and UCPN (M) led an alliance of 33 dissenting parties. The Hindu royalist RPP (N) did not have much say in the constitution writing process.
UML has claimed that it backed the NC government as Koirala promised to help Oli become new Prime Minister after promulgation of the new constitution. But Koirala has dismissed any unwritten deal with Oli.
Speculation is rife that Koirala might have backtracked from his 'commitment' at behest of India, which is apparently against Oli for the latter's insensitive remarks about Madhesi dissenters who have been agitating in the country's southern plains for over the last two months. Two weeks ago, they changed their tactic and started round-the-clock sit-ins at all major border points giving an excuse for India to impose an undeclared blockade against Nepal.
India is also unhappy with Oli because he was not ready to postpone the nearly-completed constitution making task despite 'advice' from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special envoy S. Jaishankar.
Oli started his political career from Jhapa rebellion, a communist insurgency inspired by India's Naxalite movement. He spent 14 years in jail for demanding restoration of multi-party democracy during the 30-year-long Panchayat system.
Oli, who once believed in arms insurgency, was very critical of the Maoist war. He disliked the Maoists so much that the UCPN (M) went on to declare him a 'retard' just last year. But after the 16-point agreement, the blueprint for the recently-adopted new constitution, Oli's camaraderie with UCPN (M) Chair Dahal has amazed the entire political spectrum.
Oli is perceived to be a status quoist, and even his new friend Dahal is still publicly claiming that UML is against addressing demands of Madhesi dissenters.