Rift among coalition partners deepens as Oli refuses to quit

KATHMANDU: KP Sharma Oli has refused to quit as Nepal’s prime minister amid a fresh tug-of-war with key coalition partner the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists),

Published on: Jun 4, 2016, 06:52:10 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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KATHMANDU: KP Sharma Oli has refused to quit as Nepal’s prime minister amid a fresh tug-of-war with key coalition partner the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists), which is seeking his ouster.

“There is pressure on me to quit from certain sections, but my shoulders haven’t tired yet from the burden of the post, and I am not resigning,” Oli told a gathering in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Oli, who heads the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist), is said to be under pressure to resign to honour the terms of a “gentlemen’s agreement” he made last month with the Maoists. The parties had inked a nine-point pact and reportedly had an informal understanding that Oli would quit his post to make way for a unity government after the annual budget was passed in parliament.

The premier denied any such agreement had been made. “There has been no deal to hand over my post. If there’s any such deal, I dare anyone to show it to me,” he said.

Senior members of his party, such as former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal, however, contradicted Oli’s stance and insisted an informal deal had been finalised.

Sources said the agreement was reached by the two parties after the Maoists threatened to withdraw from the coalition, which would have led to the collapse of the government. The Maoists agreed to stay after being assured that cases against their cadres for wartime human rights violations would not be pursued in court.

Under the terms of the agreement, Oli reportedly was to make way for Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to head the next government.

The rift between the coalition partners is reportedly widening, with Maoist ministers staying away from a cabinet meeting on Thursday and dozens of civil servants being transferred against Oli’s wishes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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