Oli to continue as Nepal PM for full 5-year term

K P Sharma Oli will continue as Nepal's Prime Minister for the rest of the tenure of the ruling Nepal Communist Party's government after he struck a deal with senior party leader Prachanda on Wednesday over the division of the premiership.

It was decided during the high level meeting of the ruling NCP, according to high level party sources.

In exchange, co-chairman of the ruling party Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" will get full executive powers of the party's affairs.

The deal was reached between Prime Minister Oli and former premier Prachanda during the central secretariat meeting of the party on Wednesday.

Two chairpersons of the ruling Nepal Communist Party Oli and Prachanda reached a deal that Prachanda will be the executive chairman of the party and will enjoy all executive powers of the ruling party's organisational matters and Oli, who was elected as the prime minister some 21 months ago, will remain in the helm of power for full five-year term.

When CPN- Maoist Centre-led by Prachanda and CPN- UML-led by Oli were merged last year, the two leaders forged an understanding to divide the five-year term of the premiership between the two leaders on equal basis.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Oli deferred the much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle, which was supposed to take place on Wednesday, till Thursday, the party sources said.

The Cabinet reshuffle could not take place on Wednesday as more homework was needed, sources close to Oli said.