Prime Minister Set for Floor Test This Wednesday

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has taken the decisive step of seeking a vote of confidence in Parliament, scheduled for this Wednesday, in a bid to solidify his government’s position amidst political turbulence.

In a letter addressed to the Parliament Secretariat, Prime Minister Dahal formally requested arrangements for the crucial floor test. The communication was received by the Secretariat on Sunday, as confirmed by Shekhar Adhikari, press adviser to Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire.

The decision to undergo the floor test comes in accordance with Article 100(2) of the constitution, which mandates such action if the prime minister’s political party faces division or if a coalition partner withdraws support. With the Nepali Congress withdrawing its backing following Dahal’s recent coalition reformation, the necessity for the confidence vote has become paramount.

The recent political realignment saw Dahal’s government breaking ties with the Nepali Congress and forming a new coalition with the CPN-UML and other parties on March 4th, precipitating the current need for a confidence vote.

Despite the withdrawal of support from the Nepali Congress, the current coalition comprising the CPN-UML, the CPN (Maoist Centre), the Rastriya Swatantra Party, the Janata Samajbadi Party, and the CPN (Unified Socialist) commands a comfortable majority. This indicates a high likelihood of the prime minister securing the necessary vote of confidence to bolster his government’s stability.