Get ready for elections next year: Oli to Nepal after recommending dissolution of lower House ahead of term
Dec 21, 2020
Kathmandu [Nepal], December 21: A day after recommending the dissolution of Nepal's House of Representatives before it could complete its first tenure, Prime Minister of the caretaker government, K P Sharma Oli, on Monday appealed to everyone to be ready for an election.
In a live broadcast on state-owned Nepal Television, Oli asked everyone to be prepared for the elections on April 30 and May 10 next year.
"We hadn't expected that we would ever need to take people's mandate one-and-a-half year ahead of the schedule. The 2017 elections had given a clear mandate for political stability but the country being pushed into an endless controversy, inviting a situation of stalemate, left me with no options other than to go to the public again," Oli, who has become the Prime Minister of caretaker government after the dissolution of Parliament, said on Monday.
Downgrading the claims of invited instability and hollowness in the country, Oli claimed that the upcoming election would preserve democracy, appealing all, especially youth, to prepare for polls.
"At this point in time, I appeal to the youth around the nation to unite and actively take part to save democracy. Claims and assumptions that the commencement of an early election would put the constitution in trouble, endanger the democratic republic and drive the nation towards the path of instability are all baseless. People's mandate is vital to experience political stability in the nation. That's why I appeal to all to not waste time by indulging in confusions rather prepare for the general election," Oli said.
Oli on Sunday recommended President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to dissolve the Lower House, an unprecedented move, which enraged the public as well as his party insiders. A total of 12 writ petitions have been filed at the Supreme Court against Oli's move, which has widely been claimed to be unconstitutional.
Oli-led Nepal Communist Party weighed heavy in both the lower and upper houses with a huge majority secured during the 2017 general election. Protesting the latest move of Oli, a majority of ministers in his cabinet resigned-en-masse on Sunday.
Oli, who has been losing support within his own party, has been long criticised for making unilateral decisions while making key appointments and decisions. He has also been widely criticised for mishandling the pandemic and saving ministers accused of corruption.
The Himalayan nation nestled between India and China has seen 26 prime ministers in about three decades. The nation was expected to get out of the tumultuous situation after the election of 2017 where Oli's party secured a majority of nearly two-thirds of votes.
