Political parties have come together to grab power, and have displayed a tendency to stay on beyond their constitutional mandate. Koirala’s Nepali Congress failed to secure a majority in the first Constituent Assembly, but he and his cabinet continued without seeking a fresh electoral mandate and taking oath afresh. Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist succeeded Dahal — and without any sanction, or perhaps parallel in parliamentary history, continued as caretaker Prime Minister for 7 months. Bhattarai vacated the post only after an “apolitical” person was identified to succeed him as head of government, and to hold the election for the second Constituent Assembly. Whether it can inject a shot of “morality” in Nepali politics remains to be seen.

Source: Indian Express May 24, 2017 20:29 UTC