KP Sharma Oli takes oath as Nepal PM, India’s Modi congratulates him

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated UML chief KP Sharma Oli shortly before the veteran politician was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal. The Prime Minister took to X, formally known as Twitter to congratulate his Nepalese counterpart.

On Monday, Oli was sworn in as the prime minister amid a special function held at the president’s office in Sheetal Niwas, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, The Kathmandu Post reported.  President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office after finalising his appointment on Sunday. It is pertinent to note that this is the fourth stint of Oli as Nepalese premier.

The ceremony came just days after the former Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal failed to secure his majority in the parliament after UML and Nepali Congress (NC) withdrew their support. The two parties eventually came together to make Oli the Prime Minister of the Asian nation.

PM Modi hopes for stronger India-Nepal ties

While extending his wishes to the new Nepalese premier, PM Modi expressed hopes to have strong India-Nepal ties in the future. “Congratulations @kpsharmaoli on your appointment as the Prime Minister of Nepal,” PM Modi wrote on X.

“Look forward to working closely to further strengthen the deep bonds of friendship between our two countries and to further expand our mutually beneficial cooperation for the progress and prosperity of our peoples,” he added. Under the Oli administration, India and Nepal shared a strong bond. Dahal on the other hand was touted as having an inclination towards China.

The shifting alliance

OIi’s fourth stint as a PM came to reality after President Paudel invited UML and NC to form a new government under Article 76 (2) of the constitution. The invitation was sent out on the same day Dahal lost the floor test in the House of Representatives.

On Sunday, Oli submitted signatures of 166 lawmakers in his support (Congress’ 88 and UML’s 78) to the president. The minimum number needed to form a 275-strong House of Representatives is 138.