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Nepali president dissolves parliament, elections next year
Updated 20:26, 20-Dec-2020
CGTN

Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved parliament on Sunday at the request of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's cabinet, according to a presidential statement.  

General elections will be held in two phases, on April 30 and May 10, said the statement. 

Earlier, an emergency meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Oli decided to recommend a dissolution of parliament.

The 275-member House of Representatives, which is the lower house of parliament, was elected in 2017 for a five-year term. 

Oli, 68, pushed for a fresh mandate after the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) accused him of sidelining his party in government decisions and appointments. 

Oli became prime minister after his Nepal Communist Party won elections three years ago. 

"The prime minister has lost the majority in the parliamentary party, central committee and the secretariat of the party," said Bishnu Rijal, an NCP central committee member. "Instead of seeking a compromise within the party, he chose to dissolve parliament."

A general view of Nepal's parliament building after the parliament was dissolved and general elections were announced to be held in April and May, more than a year ahead of schedule, in Kathmandu, Nepal December 20, 2020. /Reuters

A general view of Nepal's parliament building after the parliament was dissolved and general elections were announced to be held in April and May, more than a year ahead of schedule, in Kathmandu, Nepal December 20, 2020. /Reuters

Oli aide Rajan Bhattarai said the prime minister had acted in response to the backlash from his party, which had also asked him to consider quitting as its president.

After his 2017 win, Oli had vowed to ensure political stability, fight corruption and poverty but has made little progress, especially since the pandemic.

Coronavirus infections have reached 253,772, with 1,788 deaths, in the country of 30 million people.

(With input from Reuters)

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