K P Sharma Oli Sworn In As Nepal's PM Amidst Political Challenges, PM Modi Congratulates

K P Sharma Oli was sworn in as Nepal's Prime Minister for the fourth time on Monday to lead a new coalition government, facing the daunting challenge of providing political stability in the Himalayan nation.

The appointment was made by President Ram Chandra Paudel on Sunday, with Oli leading a coalition that includes the Nepali Congress (NC), the largest party in Parliament, alongside other smaller parties, as reported by NDTV.

K P Sharma Oli Sworn In As Nepal's PM

The role of Prime Minister was assumed by Oli, aged 72, succeeding Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' who lost the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives (HoR) on Friday, resulting in the formation of the new government. The ceremony was conducted at Shital Niwas, the main building of Rashtrapati Bhawan, and was delayed by over half an hour due to the Nepali Congress's failure to finalize its ministers' names amid internal disputes.

President Paudel administered oaths to the two Deputy Prime Ministers, Prakash Man Singh and Bishnu Paudel, and 19 other ministers. Singh was designated to oversee the Urban Development Ministry, while Paudel was given charge of the Finance Ministry.

Arzoo Rana Deuba, wife of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, was appointed as the Foreign Minister in the cabinet. The cabinet includes 10 ministers from the Nepali Congress, eight (excluding the Prime Minister) from CPN-UML, two from Janata Samajwadi Party, and one from Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party, as reported by NDTV.

The outgoing Prime Minister Prachanda, foreign diplomats, and other dignitaries attended the ceremony. The appointment of Oli as the new Prime Minister was executed under Article 76-2 of the Constitution of Nepal, as announced by the President's Office. Oli claimed the position on Friday night, backed by NC President Deuba, and submitted the signatures of 165 HoR members, including 77 from his CPN-UML party and 88 from the Nepali Congress.

Within 30 days, a vote of confidence will need to be secured by Oli, which he is likely to achieve as the minimum number required in the 275-strong HoR is 138. The vote of confidence faced by Prachanda was triggered by Oli's party withdrawing its support from the coalition and forming a new seven-point deal with Deuba, as per media reports.

The agreement between NC and CPN-UML, reached on July 1, stipulates that the two parties will lead the government on a rotational basis until the next general elections in 2027. Oli's previous terms as Prime Minister included serving from October 11, 2015, to August 3, 2016, from February 5, 2018, to July 13, 2021, and from May 13, 2021, to July 13, 2021.

His last appointment was by the then-President Bidya Devi Bhandari, which was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Frequent political turmoil has been faced by Nepal, which has seen 14 governments in the past 16 years since the introduction of the Republican system.

PM Modi's Congratulates Newly Appointed Nepal PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to K P Sharma Oli, who was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Nepal on Monday, July 15, as reported by The Mint. PM Modi expressed anticipation for enhancing the strong ties between the two nations, stating his readiness to collaborate closely to deepen friendship and expand mutually beneficial cooperation for the advancement and prosperity of both peoples. The message was shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

To which Nepal's new PM Oli replied that he would be committed to working closely to strengthen Nepal-India relations for their mutual benefit. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, "Thank you, Prime Minister @narendramodi, for your warm congratulations. I am committed to working closely with you to strengthen Nepal-India relations for our mutual benefit. Together, we can elevate our historic ties to new heights."