The Election Commission has announced March 13, 2018 as the date for conducting Presidential elections after a round of discussions with the newly-appointed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and various political parties, informed EC Spokesman Navaraj Dhakal.

“There will be a separate election to choose new Vice-President a week after the presidential election,” added Dhakal.

The new President and Vice-President of the country will be elected through a voting by Electoral College that includes members of the Federal Parliament and Provincial Assemblies, a month after the formation of Federal Parliament.

These elections for the posts of President and Vice-President will see the replacement of Bidya Devi Bhandari and Nanda Bahadur Pun whose tenure began in October 2015 and will be ending very soon.

These polls are also crucial for the implementation of the Nepal’s new Constitution promulgated in 2015.

Left Okay for Constitutional Amendment

Meanwhile, as per the recent update, the Left Alliance Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) has expressed its willingness for Constitutional amendments. 

CPN-UML has reportedly agreed to the amendment draft made on the basis of recommendations by Upendra Yadav led Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN).

“The government has marched closer to make the revision on the clause that creates a hurdle for naturalized citizens to a take over the key post of the country,” say the sources, adding that a finalized decision in this regard is yet to be made.

“Sooner or later, the Federal Socialist Party will join the government over heading the Rashtriya Janata Party Nepal (RJP-N) and this instance has increased the distance between the two parties who once took to the streets with the same demands and issues,” informed a statement.

In another major move, the Left party leaders Oli and Pushpa Kumar Dahal have also proposed collaboration with FSFN to hold two-third majority in the House of Representatives.

Out of the 275 seats, the Left Alliance parties (CPN-UML and CPN-MC) won 121 and 53 seats respectively in the lower house in the recently-held elections, and a coalition with 16 FSFN members will get the Left Alliance two-third hold in the House of Representatives.

Oli Extends Cabinet Further

In another major update, newly-elected Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli has extended his cabinet strength inducting four new ministers, taking the total number to seven.

The newly-appointed ministers took their oath of office at a recently-held ceremony at Presidential Palace Sheetal Niwas in Kathmandu.

The list of new ministers includes Ram Bahadur Thapa (CPN-MC) as the Minister for Home Affairs, Yubaraj Khatiwada as the Minister for Foreign Finance, Matrika Yadav as the Minister for Industry and Ishwar Pokharel (CPN-UML) as the Minister for Defence.

The new finance minister is a notable veteran economist of Nepal and also served in key positions as the Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank and as the Vice-chairman of National Planning Commission (NPC).

Oli formed his own cabinet on February 15, 2018, the day of his election as the new Prime Minister with Lal Babu Pandit as the Minister for Environment and Tham Maya Thapa as the Minister for Women and Social Welfare.

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The elections, slated to be held on November 26 and December 7, 2017, has three major political forces Nepali Congress, Communist Alliance of CPN-UML and CPN-MC and Madhes-based parties in the race.

Wooing voters for the promising elections, all the three parties have already announced their political manifestos for the parliamentary and provincial assembly elections 2017.

Nepali Congress

The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) was the first to announce political manifesto for the country’s legislative elections 2017.

NC released its manifesto on October 31, 2017 amidst the presence of the party president and the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, among other senior leaders.

With major focus on social welfare, economic development and security, NC promised an integrated Social Security Program to ensure universal health insurance coverage, 100 percent high school enrolment for children, contribution-based pension schemes for formal and informal sector personnel, and unemployment allowances.

Besides, the party also pledged reforms in the industrial, agriculture tourism and infrastructure sectors, while highlighting enhancement of bilateral ties with the bordering India and China as part of the country’s foreign policy.

“The Congress party had been leading the struggle against totalitarian regimes since 1950. This time the party wanted to lead the nation towards prosperity,” said Deuba on the occasion.

Left Alliance

In a major political shift in Nepali politics, major communist parties CPN-UML and CPN-MC formed a grand leftist alliance for the upcoming general elections.

Pitching on the need for leftist rule in the country, the communist alliance announced their manifesto for the upcoming elections on November 07, 2017 with poverty alleviation, employment, clean environment and long-term development of the country as their agendas on top priority.

The left alliance pledged on increasing Nepal’s per capita income to USD 5000 within 10 years of forming the government and said their government will have Tarai, Madhes, Hills and Himalayan communities on board.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)

RPP, called as the royalist political party of Nepal, pitched for consistent focus on Hindu nation status of Nepal, strong local governments, economic liberalism and democracy with constitutional monarchy, in its manifesto for upcoming elections.

As a whole, the manifesto called for socio, political and economic transformation of Nepal within the purview of constitutional and democratic processes, along with reforms in other major areas.

Madhes-based Parties

The Madhes-based parties, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal and Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, announced constitutional amendment as the key agenda of their joint political manifesto for upcoming polls.

The two parties forged alliance in the Province 2 for the provincial and parliamentary elections and have formed a common manifesto.

The parties pitched on the need for developmental programs in line with the agriculture, tourism and water sources.

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