Nepal's political survivor swept from office by fury at protest deaths
Sworn in for his fourth term in July last year as the country’s 14th prime minister since 2008, Oli, 73, vowed to fight corruption and poverty in the landlocked country wedged between India and China.
Summary
- Social media ban backfired, sparking deadly unrest
- Critics say Oli failed to fix economy, end graft
- Seen by some as close to China, Oli vowed neutrality
Nepalese communist leader KP Sharma Oli was sworn in as prime minister a year ago promising stability and jobs but resigned abruptly on Tuesday after the worst unrest in decades amid accusations of corruption and authoritarian rule.
His resignation following violent anti-corruption protests that left 19 people dead was the latest twist in a roller-coaster political career that has mirrored the volatility of modern Nepalese politics.
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From a teenage revolutionary imprisoned for 14 years to a four-time prime minister, Oli has been a central player in the political and economic uncertainty that has beset Nepal since protests led to the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.
Sworn in for his fourth term in July last year as the country's 14th prime minister since 2008, Oli, 73, vowed to fight corruption and poverty in the landlocked country wedged between India and China.
But the seasoned political survivor was unable to withstand a wave of public fury that forced him from office on Tuesday over the authorities' use of lethal force against demonstrators the previous day.
An aide to Oli said the outgoing prime minister's private residence had been set on fire by demonstrators celebrating his ousting.
Television images showed protesters barging into the compound and ransacking the property - shattering windows, and breaking pots, chairs and other furniture - before setting the structure on fire. Security forces, appearing to be outnumbered, watched from a few metres away.
"There was a lot of dissatisfaction among the people with the government and political leadership. This only exploded yesterday. The carnage has made people sensitive," Bipin Adhikari, a prominent constitutional expert told Reuters, hours before Oli resigned.
His decision last week to block access to several social media platforms, including Meta Platforms' META.O Facebook, sparked nationwide protests, led by Gen Z activists who accused him of silencing dissent and protecting a corrupt elite.
The government denied trying to throttle free speech, and cited misuse of social media to spread disinformation and commit fraud, among other concerns.
Protesters also blamed Oli for many of the Himalayan nation's ills, saying his latest tenure as prime minister was marked by entrenched corruption, economic stagnation and authoritarianism.
Nepal is one of the world's poorest countries and political instability has discouraged investment and hobbled its economic development, forcing millions of young people to seek work mainly in Malaysia, South Korea and the Middle East.
Born in 1952 in eastern Nepal, Oli's early life was marked by hardship. His mother died of smallpox when he was four, and his family was displaced by floods, forcing him to live with his grandparents.
He entered politics as a young activist aligned with communist ideology, and was imprisoned for 14 years during the 1970s and 1980s for opposing the monarchy, an experience that shaped his political outlook and public image.
He was a founding member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), or CPN-UML, and became prominent nationally, developing an ability to forge political alliances.
He held key ministerial roles including as interior and foreign minister, and served four times as prime minister.
Oli first assumed the premiership in 2015, at a time when a blockade of its border crossings with India left the country short of fuel and medicine for several months.
His government responded by signing a transit agreement with Beijing, ending India's monopoly over Nepal's trade route.
Both Asian giants have been locked in a high stakes battle for influence in Nepal, and Oli's fall will be closely watched by India and China.
Considered by some political watchers to be closer to China, Oli adopted a tougher line with India in his first term as he whipped up nationalist sentiment while altering Nepal's map over disputed land by including territories controlled by India.
But he told Reuters in 2022 that Nepal under his administration would be neutral and non-aligned.
