Prachanda wins Vote of Confidence, secures 172 votes

Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal “Prahanda” has won the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives in the Parliament building in New Baneshwor on Monday. Out of a total of 262 members of the Lower House who were present, 172 members voted in favour of Prime Minister Prachanda and 94 members voted against him. One member did not caste his/her vote during the voting.

PM Prachand is required to get at least 138 votes to win the vote of confidence. Eleven political parties including Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Centre, Rastriya Swotantra Party, CPN-Unified Socialist, Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Janamat Party among others voted in favour of Prachanda.

This is the second time Prime Minister Prachanda sought Vote of confidence in the Lower House within less than 10 weeks. Prachand had comfortably passed the floor test on January 10, with 268 votes in the 275 member of the HoR.

However,on legal ground, he was required to seek another floor test after major ruling alliances, CPN-UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party quit the government following the decision made by Prachanda to vote for Nepali Congress candidate Ramchandra Poudel in the presidential election.

This has paved way for the PM to expand the government by inducting ministers from ruling alliances including the largest party in the Parliament Nepali Congress and CPN-Unified Socialist. Nepali Congress has already announced to join the Prachanda led government.