Nepal’s key opposition party takes lead to form next government

The Oli government has been surviving on the support of his estranged partner the CPN-MC, headed by former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The two leaders, Oli and Dahal, don’t see eye to eye. However, the lack of a common consensus among opposition parties and a clear roadmap to form the next government prevented Dahal from pulling out his support from the current government.

Dahal, who has long been desiring to unseat Oli, looked buoyant last week when the NC decided to take the lead.

“I am going to intensify talks with political parties and am hopeful that a new government will be formed and there will be a new course of events,”  Dahal was quoted as saying by the Himalayan Times.

However, it is unlikely to be an easy job. The Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), with its 32 members in parliament, hold the key for any future government. So far, the party remains a divided house on its future political moves.

Unlike other opposition parties, the JSP doesn’t think the removal of Oli is the first and foremost priority for them. They have specific demands: the release of their jailed leaders and certain constitutional amendments. Therefore, the party leaders have been holding talks with both, the Oli government and opposition parties.

Overall, the political indecisiveness of the JSP remained the key reason why the other opposition parties and CPN-MC have not asked for the resignation of PM Oli.

“If the Maoist Centre and the Janata Samajbadi lend their support to us, there is no doubt we will take the initiative to unseat Oli by bringing up a no-confidence motion against him,” Nepali Congress vice-president Bimalendra Nidhi was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post on Sunday.

“Earlier too, we had sought their support but the Samajbadi Party had remained undecided. So we couldn't get the required support to unseat Oli,” he added.

Also, within the JSP, some leaders are of the view that they should not align with Oli at any cost.

Baburam Bhattarai, a senior JSP leader and former prime minister, said, “Finally, Nepali Congress’s signal to play the role of the opposition is commendable. Let other opposition parties also not forget their duty. Parties have their own agendas but above all are the country, people, and the imperative/primacy of democracy.”

“The foremost priority today is the removal of Oli,” he said.

The party, however,  seems unlikely to compromise with its core demands in order to just oust Oli.

“I still doubt Samajbadi Party will join hands with the Nepali Congress until it gets credible assurances that our demands will be fulfilled,” Bhattarai said.

Also, the possibility of midterm elections, too, can’t be ruled out in case the JSP doesn’t get along with either faction. Media reports suggested parties are also mentally prepared for early elections.