Nepal's former Chief Justice Sushila Karki could be appointed as the country's interim prime minister, a source familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Friday.
Last week, mass protests erupted over a ban on social media, leaving 34 people dead and more than 1,300 injured in clashes between protesters and security forces. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday after two days of protests.
Sushila Karki will be appointed as interim prime minister, a constitutional expert told Reuters. The expert claimed that Nepal's President Ram Chandra Paudel and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel had consulted with her, but the expert did not want to be named because the subject of the discussion was sensitive.
The army is holding regular meetings with the youth to restore stability after the bloody protests in Nepal. Discussions are underway on who will lead the interim government in Nepal after the resignation of the prime minister due to the protests. The youth are supporting the country's first female Chief Justice, Sushila Karki, as the head of this government.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday after two days of protests in Nepal. The army took control of the country's "situation" from that night. Army personnel were deployed in various cities. Meanwhile, army officials held their first meeting with the youth on Wednesday. They were also scheduled to hold discussions on Thursday.
Nepal's army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet told Reuters on Thursday that initial discussions are underway on who will head the interim government. Efforts are being made to normalize the situation. And Gen-G correspondent Ojaswi Raj Thapa told reporters that the name of Sushila Karki as the head of the government has been conveyed to the president and the army by the protesters.
According to Ojaswi Raj Thapa, the protesters want Nepal's parliament to be dissolved. But they are not in favor of abolishing the country's constitution. They believe that amendments are enough for now. And the protesters do not want to stay in power, another of their representatives, Sudan Gurung, told AFP. "We do not want any position in the government. We want real reforms," he said.
Who is this Sushila?
Zen-Zeed's preferred candidate, Sushila Karki, is 73 years old. She was appointed as Nepal's first female chief justice in 2016. She is currently retired. A person familiar with the talks between Zen-Zeed and the military told Reuters that Sushila is willing to take on the role of interim head of government. Now, a way is being sought to appoint her.
Local media in Nepal reported that Sushila met with President Ramchandra Paudel and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel after accepting the offer to become the head of government. Reuters tried to contact her by telephone for this information. But there was no response. An army spokesman did not immediately comment when contacted.
The president issued a statement on Thursday amid discussions on the head of the interim government. In it, he said that he is making every effort to resolve the current difficult situation. This effort is being made within the constitutional framework to protect democracy and maintain peace and order. The president asked everyone to be assured that the problem will be resolved soon.
"We know Sushila as a brave and determined person," said Sujit Kumar Jha, a 34-year-old who works for a private company in Nepal. However, a source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that not all the protesters support Sushila as the head of government. "So, efforts are being made to reach a unanimous decision."
Others in the discussion
Kulman Giesing is also being considered as a possible choice for the interim government in Nepal. He was the former CEO of the country's electricity board. He gained immense popularity after dealing with Nepal's power outages. He was removed from the board by the recently resigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
A section of protesters supported Kulman Gissing in a statement on Thursday. The statement said that constitutionally, Sushila Karki cannot be the interim head of government. Because there are restrictions on retired judges from taking on any other responsibilities outside of judicial work. And she is "too old" to be the leader of Zen-Zid.
Earlier, the name of Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old former Kathmandu resident and rapper, was being heard as the head of the interim government. However, in a Facebook post, he wrote that he has full support for Sushila Karki.
Death toll rises to 34
Nepal has long been embroiled in public anger over corruption, unemployment, inequality and political nepotism. The government recently decided to ban 26 social media platforms, sparking anger. This led to protests by young people starting Monday. On that day, 19 people were killed in clashes between protesters and security forces.
Nepal's Health Ministry said on Thursday that the death toll in the protests has risen to 34. In addition, more than 1,300 people have been injured. A curfew was imposed in Kathmandu on that day as well. There was a presence of soldiers on the streets. Schools, colleges and shops were closed. However, some emergency services were opened.
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