Kathmandu, ahead of a parliamentary test for Nepal's embattled Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Friday, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML have issued whips demanding their lawmakers to vote against the confidence motion tabled by the former guerrilla leader.
The K P Sharma Oli-led CPN-UML, the largest party in the ruling coalition, withdrew support for the Prachanda-led government last week after signing a power-sharing agreement with the House's largest party, the Congress. Nepali, to replace the former Maoist. leader, who is expected to lose the vote of confidence.
The Nepali Congress, the largest party in the 275-member House of Representatives, currently has 89 seats, while the CPN-UML has 78 seats. Their combined strength of 167 is far more than the 138 seats needed for a majority in the lower house. Prachanda's Nepal Communist Party (Maoist Centre) has 32 seats.
Prachanda, who needs 138 votes for the government to win the vote of confidence in the House, is likely to get around 63 votes, and the government is almost certain to lose Friday's test.
The Nepali Congress (NC) has directed its legislators to be present in the House and vote against Prachanda's no-confidence motion. Similarly, the CPN-UML also issued a whip demanding its legislators vote against the motion, Mi República newspaper reported.
This coordinated effort between the NC and the UML aims to overthrow the Prachanda-led government and establish new administrations at both the federal and provincial levels.
CPN-UML president Oli met Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba on Wednesday.
The meeting between the two leaders was aimed at formulating a future strategy on how to move forward after the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) agreed to form a new coalition government.
During the two-hour meeting held at Deuba's residence in Budhanilkantha, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, the two leaders discussed issues such as collecting signatures in favor of the new coalition that Oli will lead and introducing him to the president.
They also discussed the formation of the new government and inviting other smaller parties to join the national consensus government being formed under Oli's leadership, according to sources close to the CPN-UML.
The two parties have signed an agreement to alternately lead the government for the remaining three years of Parliament.
As per the agreement, Oli will become Prime Minister for one and a half years in the first phase.
Last week, the CPN-UML demanded Prachanda's immediate resignation after the prime minister said he was preparing to face a vote of confidence in Parliament on Friday, amid the withdrawal of support from some allies.
Prachanda, 69, has announced that he will not resign following the resignation of eight CPN-UML cabinet ministers and will instead face a vote of confidence in Parliament.
Sources said a new alliance government led by Oli, 72, and backed by the Nepali Congress will be formed on Sunday.
Nepal has had 13 governments in the last 16 years, indicating the fragile nature of the Himalayan nation's political system.
The K P Sharma Oli-led CPN-UML, the largest party in the ruling coalition, withdrew support for the Prachanda-led government last week after signing a power-sharing agreement with the House's largest party, the Congress. Nepali, to replace the former Maoist. leader, who is expected to lose the vote of confidence.
The Nepali Congress, the largest party in the 275-member House of Representatives, currently has 89 seats, while the CPN-UML has 78 seats. Their combined strength of 167 is far more than the 138 seats needed for a majority in the lower house. Prachanda's Nepal Communist Party (Maoist Centre) has 32 seats.
Prachanda, who needs 138 votes for the government to win the vote of confidence in the House, is likely to get around 63 votes, and the government is almost certain to lose Friday's test.
The Nepali Congress (NC) has directed its legislators to be present in the House and vote against Prachanda's no-confidence motion. Similarly, the CPN-UML also issued a whip demanding its legislators vote against the motion, Mi República newspaper reported.
This coordinated effort between the NC and the UML aims to overthrow the Prachanda-led government and establish new administrations at both the federal and provincial levels.
CPN-UML president Oli met Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba on Wednesday.
The meeting between the two leaders was aimed at formulating a future strategy on how to move forward after the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) agreed to form a new coalition government.
During the two-hour meeting held at Deuba's residence in Budhanilkantha, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, the two leaders discussed issues such as collecting signatures in favor of the new coalition that Oli will lead and introducing him to the president.
They also discussed the formation of the new government and inviting other smaller parties to join the national consensus government being formed under Oli's leadership, according to sources close to the CPN-UML.
The two parties have signed an agreement to alternately lead the government for the remaining three years of Parliament.
As per the agreement, Oli will become Prime Minister for one and a half years in the first phase.
Last week, the CPN-UML demanded Prachanda's immediate resignation after the prime minister said he was preparing to face a vote of confidence in Parliament on Friday, amid the withdrawal of support from some allies.
Prachanda, 69, has announced that he will not resign following the resignation of eight CPN-UML cabinet ministers and will instead face a vote of confidence in Parliament.
Sources said a new alliance government led by Oli, 72, and backed by the Nepali Congress will be formed on Sunday.
Nepal has had 13 governments in the last 16 years, indicating the fragile nature of the Himalayan nation's political system.
