'Not Here to Taste Power': Sushila Karki After Assuming Charge as Nepal's Interim Prime Minister

Kathmandu, Nepal: The newly appointed interim Prime Minister of Nepal, Sushila Karki, on Sunday delivered a strong message stating that her administration is not in office to "taste power" but to stabilise the country and address the demands for justice, as she has not come to power by choice but out of compulsion, looking at the present condition of her country. She also assured that the fresh elections will be held within the next six months.

"We will hand over the responsibility to the new Parliament. We won't succeed without your support," Karki said during a press conference after formally assuming office at the Singha Durbar.

Sushila Karki further announced that those who were killed during the Gen Z protest would be officially recognised as “martyrs”. She added that a compensation amount of NRs one million would also be given to the families of the deceased.

Karki also made it clear that the government will investigate the acts of vandalism and violence during the protests. 

"We are in an economic crisis. We should discuss and work on the reconstruction," she added. 

The 73-year-old former Chief Justice of Nepal also met the injured Gen Z protesters at the civil hospital on Saturday. A huge press pool and supporters were seen surrounding the PM's convoy during her visit. 

Sushila Karki, Nepal's first female Chief Justice and now the first female Prime Minister, is backed by the Gen Z-led movement that has transformed the country's political landscape over the last few days. She was sworn in as the interim Prime Minister on Friday after a widespread Gen Z protest. 

On Friday, Nepal's Parliament was formally dissolved, and fresh elections were scheduled for March 5, 2026, hours after former Karki was sworn in as the country's new interim PM.

PM Modi Congratulates Sushila Karki 

During his visit to Manipur, PM Modi also extended his greetings to Nepal, saying, "Today, from the land of Manipur, I extend greetings to my colleagues in Nepal. Nepal is a close friend of India. We are connected by shared history and faith, and we are moving forward together."

In a post shared on X, PM Modi said, “Heartfelt congratulations to the Honourable Sushila Karki Ji on assuming the office of Prime Minister of Nepal's interim government. India is fully committed to the peace, progress, and prosperity of Nepal's brothers and sisters.”

What led to the Gen Z protest?

The unrest began on Monday, September 8, after tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Nepal's capital Kathmandu to vent their anger against a decision by authorities to block multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, saying that the companies had failed to register and submit to government oversight.

Later, this escalated even after the ban was uplifted taking the total number of deaths to 72, as per reports.

Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, along with 4 other ministers, resigned following the violent protests. Karki's selection marks a rare moment of consensus in Nepali politics. Chosen through a public vote held by Gen Z leaders on the online platform Discord, she emerged as the most popular and acceptable figure, not only among the youth movement but also among traditional political forces seeking stability and credibility in a time of upheaval.

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