Nepal prez urges parties to form new govt after Prachanda loses trust vote

Nepal President Ram Chandra Paudel on Friday called on political parties to stake claim to form the new government with a Sunday evening deadline to prove the majority, hours after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda' failed to secure a trust vote in Parliament.

President Paudel called on members of the House of Representatives (HoR) to stake a claim for the post of prime minister showing a majority with the support of two or more political parties in the lower house, a statement from the Office of Paudel said.

The President has called on the House members to present the majority through the support of parties represented in the lower house by 5 pm on Sunday, it added.

Earlier, after Prachanda lost the trust vote, the President asked him to hold the fort as a caretaker till a new government was in place. The development is expected to pave the way to the formation of a new coalition government led by former prime minister K P Sharma Oli, 72.

Prachanda lost the vote of ...