Nepal's high-stakes gamble

Nepal Prime Minister K P Oli’s decision to dissolve Parliament and call snap elections two years ahead of schedule has confounded both his critics and supporters. This move appears to stem from growing criticism of Mr Oli for his poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, growing charges of corruption and authoritarianism, and leadership challenges within, principally from former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, who is also executive chair of the ruling Nepal Communist Party. Mr Oli has scheduled the elections over April and May next year, though a legal challenge to his decision is possible, given that the 2015