Nepal's Political Shift: Prachanda Loses Confidence Vote

Nepal's Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' lost a vote of confidence in Parliament after the CPN-UML withdrew its support. This paves the way for ex-premier K P Sharma Oli to form a new coalition government with the Nepali Congress. Prachanda, facing his fifth confidence vote, was defeated, receiving only 63 out of the required 138 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives.

Nepal's Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' lost a crucial vote of confidence in Parliament on Friday after the CPN-UML, a key coalition partner, withdrew its support. This political shift is set to pave the way for a new government led by ex-premier K P Sharma Oli.

Prachanda managed to secure only 63 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives, falling significantly short of the 138 votes required to maintain his position. A total of 258 members participated in the voting process, with one abstention.

This defeat comes after Prachanda survived four previous confidence votes since assuming office on December 25, 2022. The CPN-UML's withdrawal and its new power-sharing alliance with the largest party, the Nepali Congress, spelled trouble for Prachanda's administration.

(With inputs from agencies.)