Nepal witnesses widespread protest against Oli's decision to dissolve parliament

Thousands of people stormed the streets of Nepal on Wednesday to protest against the dissolution of the parliament by caretaker Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Former Prime Ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and other members of the Nepal Communist Party (NPC) had called upon people to come out on the streets and protest against Oli's recent move to dissolve the parliament and announce fresh elections in April and May.

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People heeded the call of protest, while many were brought by members of the NPC in buses and trucks to make it one of the biggest rallies in Nepal since it transformed from constitutional monarchy to democracy a few years ago. Security was beefed up in the capital Kathmandu, with police personnel securing key government offices. However, there were no reports of violence on Wednesday. 

What's happening in Nepal?

The political turmoil in Nepal became worse after Prime Minister Oli dissolved the parliament in December 2020, days before the winter session was scheduled to begin. According to experts, PM Oli feared opposition from his own party members as well as a no-confidence motion, which prompted him to recommend President Bidya Devi Bhandari to dissolve the democratically elected body and call for fresh polls. 

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Oli had long anticipated opposition from his own party members since he was facing growing pressure over his authoritarian way of running the government and his repeated interference in party affairs despite handing over the reign to Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Oli and Dahal had reached an agreement in 2017, prior to the general election, where both leaders had decided to share the Prime Minister's seat for an equal period of time. 

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However, after winning the polls and becoming the PM with the help of the coalition, Oli refused to fulfill the terms of the agreement and instead tried to convince Dahal by offering him the chairmanship of the party. Oli had won the most number of seats in the election but was still short of the majority mark required to form the government, which he did by merging his and Dahal's party into one entity - NCP. 

What's ahead for Oli?

Since the dissolution of the parliament, Oli has been removed from the party and is facing numerous petitions in Nepal's Supreme Court. It is now up to the apex court of Nepal to decide whether the move made by Oli was constitutional. The court will make a decision on the basis of certain factors, including if there was a chance of forming a new government without dissolving the parliament. If the court approves Oli's move, the caretaker Prime Minister will remain until the next elections, and if it rules reinstates the parliament, he will likely be removed by a no-confidence vote.  

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