Nepal’s Top Party Ousts Premier
Revolt-racked Nepal was plunged into a fresh crisis Sunday after the centrist ruling party expelled Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba over his move to dissolve parliament and call early elections.
Deuba told reporters that the expulsion would have no effect on his ability to remain caretaker prime minister of the Himalayan kingdom where security forces are battling a bloody Maoist insurgency.
But constitutional experts called the events unprecedented in Nepal, known for its revolving-door governments, and were not certain Deuba could remain as prime minister until the elections set for Nov. 13.
Deuba was suspended as a member of the ruling party last week after asking King Gyanendra to disband parliament and advance the elections by two years after a party revolt against his move to extend emergency rule to fight the rebels.
The Maoist guerrillas are seeking to topple the constitutional monarchy and install a communist republic.
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