In an emergency Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has recommended dissolution of the Parliament of Nepal and called for general election, a decision that has been officially ratified by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.
According to reports, PM Oli had the mandate to govern Nepal but there were lingering problems among the higher ranks of the ruling party as senior leaders were unable to go with the PM.
The President has called for a two-phase election to be held on April 30 and May 10 next year. The dramatic move came after weeks of tension with challenger Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, who has been demanding that Oli change his style of governance.
Oli’s announcement was followed by deployment of quick action forces across capital Kathmandu and other major Nepal cities and towns where protests broke out spontaneously.
Nepal held election in November-December 2017 last and the elected 275-member Pratinidhi Sabha is expected to serve a full five-year term.
The move to dissolve Parliament has drawn strong criticism both from the Opposition and the members of the ruling coalition. Political leaders, including former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, have cautioned about the future of Nepal in the backdrop of the Cabinet decision.