KATHMANDU: Ahead of his India visit, Nepal’s PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Monday secured a vote of confidence in Parliament, winning the second floor test within three months after the formation of the new government.
Prachanda secured 172 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives. Other 89 lawmakers voted against him whereas one abstained.
Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Centre, Rastriya Swatantra Party, Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, CPN-Unified Socialist, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Aam Janata Party voted in his favour. CPN-UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party voted against him. Nepal Workers and Peasants Party abstained.
Prachanda on Sunday exuded confidence that he would comfortably win a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives.
Prachanda (68) sought a vote of confidence as two parties in the seven-party alliance — Rastriya Prajatantra Party and CPN-UML — withdrew support to his government. They refused to endorse Prachanda’s proposal to back Nepali Congress leader Ramchandra Paudel for the post of President.
Prachanda, who was sworn in as the country’s Prime Minister in December, comfortably passed the first floor test on January 10 with 268 votes after all parties except the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and the Rastriya Janamorcha voted in favour of the government.