KATHMANDU, July 14: K P Sharma Oli was appointed Nepal’s Prime Minister for the third time on Sunday, tasked with leading a new coalition government and addressing the significant challenge of establishing political stability in the country. Oli, 72, takes over from Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, who lost a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on Friday, triggering the formation of the new government under Article 76 (2) of the Constitution.

President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Oli as the Prime Minister of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML)-Nepali Congress (NC) coalition. Oli and the new Cabinet are set to be sworn in on Monday.

Late Friday night, Oli claimed the position of Prime Minister with the support of NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba, submitting signatures from 165 House of Representatives (HoR) members — 77 from his party and 88 from the NC.

Oli previously served as Nepal’s Prime Minister from October 11, 2015, to August 3, 2016, and again from February 5, 2018, to July 13, 2021.