Kathmandu: Following President Ram Chandra Paudel's call for House of Representatives (HoR) members to stake a claim for the prime ministerial post in accordance with Article 76 (2) of the constitution, the major political parties, Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML, have put forward UML Chair KP Sharma Oli for the role. This move came late Friday night as party leaders submitted signatures of a majority of HoR members to the President's Office in support of Oli's appointment.

The submission was led by NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML Chair Oli. President Paudel's call followed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's failure to secure a trust vote in the HoR meeting. The President has set a deadline of 5:00 pm on Sunday for claims to be staked.

In the interim, President Paudel has instructed the current Council of Ministers to continue their duties until the formation of the next government. This directive, issued Friday evening in accordance with Article 77 (3) of the constitution, ensures continuity of governance.

President Paudel's call for staking claims under Article 76 (2) came after receiving a letter from the Speaker regarding Dahal's failure in the trust motion. Dahal, who was elected Prime Minister on December 25, 2022, could not secure the necessary support in the recent HoR vote.

The next Prime Minister will be appointed from among HoR members who can demonstrate majority support from two or more political parties, as stipulated by the constitution. The political dynamics now shift towards building coalitions and securing the required backing for the forthcoming prime ministerial appointment.