Nepal PM Oli expelled from ruling party: What led to the chaos? What's next?

In the latest blow to the unstable political scene in Nepal, Prime Minister KP Oli has been expelled from the ruling Nepal Communist Party with Election Commission refusing to recognise either faction of the party, one led by Oli and other by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar. 

The crisis was kickstarted by Oli decision back in December 2020 to dissolve the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Nepali Parliament and touted the move as the only way to resolve the budding disputed and non-cooperation in the party that according to him led to a “state of inaction”. 

However, the abrupt move by the 68-year-old pushed the country into general elections, more than a year ahead of schedule. Now, the Prachanda-Nepal faction of the ruling communist party ousted Oli as a part of disciplinary action against the Nepal PM. 

What led to Oli’s expulsion from the party?

Evident division in NCP

Following Oli’s unprecedented move of dissolving the lower house of the parliament, the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) found itself split into two factions. This not only hampered the unity in the ruling party that was initially forced among the party cadre, at least three years ago. It was also one of the first and foremost indications of a systematic collapse for the NCP. 

Read - Nepal Communist Party's Rival Faction Declares 3rd Phase Of Agitation Against Dissolution

Read - Nepal Election Commission Refuses To Recognise Either Faction Of Ruling NCP

Supreme Court hearing

The Oli-directed dissolution came when at least two years of the present House of Representatives were still left. However, it was followed by Nepal Supreme Court flooded with dozens of petitions challenging the Nepal PM’s decision. Meanwhile, the two factions of the NCP had also started describing themselves as the legitimate faction and staked claims over the party’s election symbol which is the ‘sun’. As per reports, the hearing on Oli’s decision is further expected to continue until February with hundreds of lawyers being registered for participation.

Nationwide protests 

While on December 29, 2020, nearly 25,000 people had gathered to demonstrate near KP Oli’s office, most recently on January 22 protested in the country’s capital against the dissolution of the parliament and ordered fresh elections as feud escalated.

The former Maoist commander and co-chair of the NCP, Pushpa Kamal Dahal who led the 1996-2006 uprising even told the demonstrators in Kathmandu earlier this month that Oli was trying to “derail the peace process” and that “the elected parliament must be reinstated”. 

Read - Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli Expelled From Ruling Communist Party Over Dissolution Of Parliament

Read - Tens Of Thousands Protest Against Nepal's Prime Minister

Oli expelled from the party

Nepal Communist Party expelled PM Oli from the party in a decision taken by a Central Committee Meeting as disciplinary action. "His membership has been revoked", the spokesperson for the splinter group, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, told news agency ANI. Reportedly, the party leaders are now also planning further action against KP Oli post his ouster threatening 'serious disciplinary actions' against him. 

“Today’s Central Committee Meeting which conveyed at Paris Danda decided to remove KP Sharma Oli from the party. He no longer holds even a simple membership of the Nepal Communist Party,” Shrestha told the news agency.

Now what can happen?

As per reports, the Nepal Pm is likely to revive the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) that had earlier merged with the Maoists in a bid to form the Nepal Communist Party after a deal was brokered by China. Further, media reports also state that Oli will be seeking backing from Nepali Congress and still remain at the held of the power. 

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Image credits: The Associated Press