Communist leader Oli sworn in as Nepal PM

Prime Minister candidate and Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) Khadga Prashad Oli, also known as KP Oli, arrives for prime ministerial election at the parliament in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sunday.

He defeated outgoing Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, chairman of the Nepali Congress, who stood down last week after heading a coalition government for almost two years.

K P Sharma Oli received the support of 338 members in the Parliament out of 597 members.

From that posture, Oli, on Saturday, agreed to a pact with other key political leaders backing his premiership under which he committed his government to resolving tensions with the Madhesi community that has effectively forced a blockade of essential supplies into Nepal.

Nearly six months after the earthquakes, the focus on party politics has drawn criticism. Oli inherits a nation with a range of political and economic challenges, including ongoing reconstruction after a devastating series of earthquakes earlier this year and, more recently, a crisis over the representativeness of the country’s new constitution. Oli was supported by UCPN (Maoist), Rastriya Prajatantra Pary-Nepal, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik and 11 other parties. Jayant Prasad, former ambassador to Nepal and now director of IDSA, said, “This is a great opportunity for Oli to mend fences with India and strike a deal with the Madhesis”. He is, however, eligible to become prime minister again.

The source also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his congratulatory message to Oli on Sunday, expressed the hope and expectation that the new Nepalese prime minister will carry all sections of society along for peace and stability in the Himalayan country.

Among the ministers allotted portfolios, Kharel will be minister for law, justice, Constituent Assembly and parliamentary affairs; Gajurel is the agricultural development minister and Panday will head the industry ministry.

But his supporters see virtue in his bluntness and have greeted his victory as a snub to India, which they accuse of unofficially blockading Nepal to try and force change to the constitution that is backed by Mr Oli.

But commentators say the veteran could struggle to appease the protesters, whose concerns he has publicly dismissed in the past.