Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has written to the Federal Parliament Secretariat to take a vote of confidence from the House of Representatives on May 20. As per Article 100 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, the PM should table a motion in HoR for the vote of confidence within 30 days if a political party in a coalition government withdraws its support to the Prime Minister. PM Prachanda will seek a vote of confidence after the Upendra Yadav-led Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), Nepal withdrew its support to the PM on May 13 after the split in the party.

This is the fourth time that PM Dahal, who became the Prime Minister of Nepal on December 25, 2022, has to undertake a floor test. The present coalition government needs the support of 138 MPs to secure a vote of confidence.

PM Dahal sought the vote of confidence for the third time on March 13, 2024, after the Nepali Congress (NC) withdrew its support. At that time, he had the support of 157 MPs.

He received the vote of confidence for the second time on March 20, 2023, receiving the support of 172 MPs and for the first time on January 10, 2023, he received 268 votes in the floor test.

Sweta Singh(Kathmandu)