Nepal: PM election unlikely to end within deadline

Chances of Nepal’s new prime minister being elected through consensus within the October 9 deadline appeared remote as incumbent Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and K P Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, are both likely to join the race.

Standing committee of the UML on Sunday fielded Oli as its candidate for the top post. On the other hand, Koirala who is also the chairman of the Nepali Congress, told his party colleagues that he was keen to lead the “national government”.

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President Ram Baran Yadav had on Friday given a week’s deadline to have the PM elected by October 9, failing which the issue will be settled through majority in parliament.