KATHMANDU– Nepal has descended into political and social chaos after Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli stepped down Tuesday under mounting pressure from nationwide protests that have already left at least 19 people dead.
Oli submitted his resignation to President Ram Chandra Poudel, citing the “abnormal situation” gripping the country. In his letter, he said he was stepping aside under Article 77(1) of the constitution to allow a constitutional resolution to the crisis. Oli had been in office since July 2024, leading a coalition government formed in partnership with the Nepali Congress.
Reports suggest that Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah could be tapped as interim prime minister, though the path forward remains unclear. The ruling coalition began unraveling earlier this week, with several Congress ministers resigning and party leaders Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma publicly urging Oli to quit.
The protests, led largely by Gen-Z demonstrators, erupted over demands for accountability in corruption cases and anger at government restrictions on social media. What began as demonstrations quickly escalated after security forces opened fire Monday, leaving 19 dead and fueling widespread unrest.
By Tuesday, protesters stormed the parliament building in Baneshwor, setting parts of it ablaze, and torched the main gates of Singh Durbar, the government’s administrative hub. Party headquarters for both the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and the Nepali Congress in Kathmandu Valley were vandalized and set on fire. Local media reported similar attacks on government offices across the country.
Authorities imposed curfews, but the violence continued. Viral videos on social media showed protesters torching Oli’s residence in Bhaktapur, as well as attacks on the homes of former Prime Ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Sher Bahadur Deuba, and even President Poudel’s residence. Former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s house was also targeted.
Several cabinet members, including the ministers for home, agriculture, health, and youth and sports, resigned in protest over the government’s use of force. District officials described the atmosphere in Kathmandu and surrounding areas as “tense,” though they said security forces were exercising restraint and had not ordered live fire against protesters since Monday’s clashes.
The mass resignations and collapsing coalition leave Nepal in political limbo. With lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party also stepping down en masse, calls are growing for an interim government to restore order and navigate the country through its most severe political crisis in years. (Source: IANS)
