Nepal likely to form consensus government within seven days of Oli resigning

With K.P. Sharma Oli resigning as Nepal's Prime Minister, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari will now call upon political parties to form a consensus government within the next seven days, local media reports said.

President Bandhari, who has already approved the resignation of Prime Minister Oli on Sunday, has asked his government to continue in a caretaker capacity until a new one is formed, reports the Kathmandu Post.

According to Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramesh Lekhak, President Bhandari will call on political parties to form a new government based on a consensus in seven days.

"After seven days, the President will again ask parties to form a majority government," said Lekhak and added the parties will try to form a government based on consensus.

The Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) have already agreed to form a new government under Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has recommended that President Bhandari invoke Article 305 of the Constitution of Nepal to "remove difficulties" in the formation of the new government.

Article 305 stipulates that in case of any difficulty regarding the implementation of the Constitution until the commencement of the first session of the Federal Parliament, the President may, on the recommendation of the Cabinet, issue necessary orders to remove such a difficulty.

Article 298 of the Constitution has a provision to move a no-trust motion against the prime minister, but is not clear on forming a new government.

Therefore, the government has recommended that the President remove these difficulties.