Late-night drama unfolded outside the Nepal Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar after a group led by Sudan Gurung staged a protest demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sushila Karki.
The demonstration came soon after the announcement of three new ministers in her interim cabinet.
The protestors, many of them young people aligned with Gurung’s group ‘Hami Nepal’, gathered at the gates of the residence around midnight. They raised slogans against Prime Minister Karki, accusing her of ignoring their voices while selecting cabinet members.
Holding placards and chanting slogans such as “Prime Minister resign” and “Don’t play politics over the dead,” they made their dissatisfaction clear.
At Gate No. 3 of the Baluwatar residence, Gurung addressed the crowd directly. “The most powerful force in Nepal is the people,” he declared. “No one can stop us. If we can put someone in power, we can also remove them.”
Ironically, it was Gurung’s own group that had strongly pushed for Karki’s appointment just last week. On Friday, she was sworn in as Prime Minister by President Ram Chandra Paudel at Sheetal Niwas, with Gurung even bowing at her feet in a symbolic show of respect.
But within days, the relationship seems to have soured.
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On Sunday, Karki appointed three ministers to her interim cabinet. This includes Om Prakash Aryal, legal advisor to Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah, as Home Minister; former Finance Secretary Rameshore Khanal as Finance Minister; and former Nepal Electricity Authority chief Kulman Ghising as Energy Minister.
The selections were welcomed in some quarters as choices of capable technocrats. But Gurung’s camp reacted with anger. They claimed the appointments were made without consultation.
Members of ‘Hami Nepal’ accused the Prime Minister of sidelining them and argued that their movement was being hijacked. They warned that they would intensify protests if their voices were not respected in decision-making.
Prime Minister Karki, Nepal’s former Chief Justice, had earlier made it clear that her role was temporary. She has been tasked with leading the country until fresh elections are held, which must be completed by March 5.
After that, a new parliament will choose the next Prime Minister.
In her first press conference after taking office, held at Singha Durbar, Karki said her administration was not formed to “taste power” but to stabilize the nation during a sensitive transition.