Prime Minister Prachanda passes second floor test for his government

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Monday, March 20, passed the second parliamentary floor test.

PM Dahal received 172 votes in his favor while 89 Members of Parliament voted against the vote of confidence.

Meanwhile, one MP did not participate in today’s vote of confidence.

Dahal, also chairman of the third highest seat-holding party- Maoist Center in the parliament, garnered the support of the Nepali Congress, Rastriya Swatantra Party, Janata Samajwadi Party, Unified Socialist, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Rastriya Janamorcha, Nepal Samajwadi Party, Aam Janata Party, and other parties.

Only three parties—CPN-UML, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party voted against him.

The reason for the 68-year-old Prime Minister to seek the vote of confidence was because two out of the seven-party alliance viz. Rastriya Prajatantra Party and CPN-UML withdrew their support. Both parties had refused to support and endorse the Prime Minister’s proposal to back Ramchandra Paudel, the Nepali Congress leader for the post of President.

He was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal in December and passed the first floor test on January 10 with flying colours. Prachanda secured 268 votes of support in the 275-member House of Representatives. All parties except for Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and the Rastriya Janamorcha had voted in favour of his government.