Oli begins preparation to become next prime minister

KATHMANDU: Though final election results are still days away, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli is busy preparing strategies to become the next prime minister.

A leader close to Oli said the septuagenarian leader has already started discussions with leaders of other political parties. Oli has already talked to leaders of parties which formed electoral alliances with UML. He has also proposed CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to work together to form the next government.

Oli is criticized for his failure to run a stable government despite commanding nearly a two-thirds majority in the parliament. Also, he is blamed for dissolving parliament unconstitutionally, twice, and splitting Nepal Communist Party (NCP), among others.

Nepali Congress and Maoist Center, who went before the people opposing Oli’s unconstitutional moves, however, couldn’t get the expected results. Therefore, leaders have begun discussions on the fate of the five-party alliance.

“We have a fresh mandate now. Parties now know their true strength. Therefore, we are telling parties that UML is now ready for an alliance to form the next government,” a UML leader told Himal Press.

Of the election results declared so far, UML is second in the first past the post (FPTP) vote count winning 39 seats. It, however, is leading the proportionate representation (PR) vote count with more than 2.1 million votes received so far. While NC has won 51 FPTP seats, Maoist candidates were victorious in 16 constituencies.

Oli is hopeful that the UML-led alliance will get 110 seats. He plans to form the government by bringing the Maoist Center on board.

UML formed electoral alliances with Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) in the November 20 election. RPP and JSP have won 7 and 6 seats, so far, respectively.

Oli estimates that he would have the support of 135 lawmakers this way. He hopes to get the remaining lawmakers from Rastriya Swatantra Party and other parties.

If CPN (Unified Socialist) is not willing to join the Oli-led government, Oli plans to bring RSP led by Rabi Lamichhane on board.

Though some important UML leaders faced defeat, Oli feels UML is a strong force given the number of seats won. He is silent over including Madhav Kumar Nepal-led Unified Socialist in government formation.

Lamichhane has hinted that the party can move ahead by forming a coalition with other parties.

“Our chairman is adamant that UML leads the government. We need to lead the government also to complete works initiated by our government,” the leader close to Oli said.

He also said province governments will also be a matter of power-sharing discussions among parties.

Though some important UML leaders faced defeat, Oli feels UML is a strong force given the number of seats won. He is silent over including Madhav Kumar Nepal-led Unified Socialist in government formation.

But the leader said there is no chance, in the current scenario, of working together with the party which worked to fail the UML government and split the party.

If the Unified Socialist fails to get the ‘national party’ status in the parliament, UML hopes to attract about 40% of the lawmakers of the party.

Not only government formation, Oli is discussing the election of President and Vice President as well as Speaker and Deputy Speaker as well as chairpersons of parliamentary committees in the power-sharing meetings. “Oli believes everyone can be incorporated this way,” he added.