Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli was sworn in as Prime Minister of Nepal for the fourth time on Monday, marking a significant political shift as his Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) formed a coalition government with the center-left Nepali Congress.
Oli, 72, who leads the second-largest party in Nepal’s parliament, took the oath of office administered by President Ram Chandra Poudel. “I, KP Sharma Oli, in the name of the country and people, pledge that I will be loyal to the constitution and fulfill my duty as the prime minister,” Oli stated during the ceremony.
Oli’s return to the prime ministerial office comes after his predecessor, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, lost a vote of confidence on Friday, just 18 months into his term. Dahal, also known by his nom de guerre Prachanda, was forced to step down after Oli’s party withdrew its support.
In a strategic move, Oli forged a new alliance with Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress. Oli has promised to yield the prime ministerial post to Deuba, a five-time former prime minister, later in the parliamentary term.
Nepal, a Himalayan nation of about 30 million people, is strategically located between India and China. Oli has previously balanced relations with both neighboring giants, maintaining cordial ties while also seeking to reduce Nepal’s dependency on India by strengthening connections with China.
Nepal’s next general elections are scheduled for 2027.
