Nepal's CPN-UML names KP Sharma Oli as next Prime Minister

Two months after the successful conclusion of parliamentary elections, Nepal's largest party CPN-UML on Wednesday picked its Chairman KP Sharma Oli as the next Prime Minister of the country.

Oli, 65, served as the country's prime minister from October 11, 2015, to August 3, 2016. He is known for his pro-China stance.

A Standing Committee (SC) of the party held in Lalitpur named Oli as the prime ministerial candidate as he is also the UML's Parliamentary Party leader, Surendra Pandey was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post.

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The Left Alliance of the CPN-UML, led by Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre, led by Prachanda, had in December secured 174 seats in the 275-member Parliament in the historic provincial and parliamentary polls that many hope will bring much-needed political stability to the Himalayan nation.

It had also secured an overwhelming majority in the upper house of Parliament with 39 seats, paving the way for the leftist alliance to form the country's next government.

The UML leaders also discussed the party unification with the CPN (Maoist Centre) during the meeting, the report said.

Following an intra-party discussion of both the parties, a meeting of the Party Unification Coordination Committee (PUCC) is scheduled to be held later today, it said.

The PUCC meeting is likely to take a final decision regarding the party unification.

The PUCC of the left alliance was formed to discuss the merger of the two parties.

The process of appointment of Prime Minister would begin after the Election Commission would submit the final results of House of Representatives election under the Proportional Representation to the President.

CPN-UML, with the support of CPN Maoist Centre, has emerged as the largest party after garnering the majority in the three-tier elections.

(With inputs from PTI)