Kathmandu, 13 July– Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, has been ousted from office after losing a vote of confidence in parliament. The decisive vote took place on Friday following the withdrawal of support by the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML).

In the 275-member assembly, Prachanda secured only 63 votes, while 194 votes were cast against him. To win a confidence vote, at least 138 votes are needed. This marks the end of Prachanda's 19-month tenure as Prime Minister, having survived four previous confidence votes since taking office on December 25, 2022.

The CPN-UML, led by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, withdrew its support from Dahal's coalition government on July 3. This withdrawal necessitated a confidence vote in accordance with the constitution.

The Nepali Congress, the largest political party in Nepal, has now formed an alliance with CPN-UML. Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba has endorsed KP Sharma Oli as the next Prime Minister.

The Nepali Congress holds 89 seats, and the CPN-UML has 78 seats. Their combined total of 167 seats is well above the 138 needed for a majority in the lower house, paving the way for Oli's return to the premiership.

The political landscape in Nepal is set for significant changes as the new coalition prepares to take the reins of government.