Electoral Politics Turns Once Karl Marx 'Devotee' Communist Nepal PM K P Sharma Oli Into A 'Devout Hindu'

Amid the ongoing political crisis in Nepal, Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, a self-proclaimed atheist and communist for five decades, has turned a 'devout Hindu' as the ongoing campaign to dislodge him gains momentum in the Himalayan nation.

The Nepali PM has been trying to project his image as a 'devout Hindu' in the Himalayan country where around 85 per cent of the population is Hindu.

The development reportedly comes as Nepal Communist Party-Maoist Centre (NCP-MC) is preparing to formally withdraw its support to the Oli government and move a no-trust motion in the House of Representatives. The NCP-MC is also seeking support of all other opposition parties to topple the Oli government.

Meanwhile, Oli is said to be expelling dissidents MPs from the ruling Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) in phases and batches, so that their number is less than 40 per cent of the total strength required to be qualified as a “division”, as per the Nepali Constitution.

The move of expelling the dissidents will reduce the effective strength of the House, making it easier for the Oli government to pass any bill or to defeat a no-trust motion.

Further, in view of the upcoming elections, the 69-year-old Oli, who had publicly stated that he does not believe in God and that “if there was ever any God, it was Karl Marx alone”, is now wooing the majority Hindu population by projecting himself as a 'devout Hindu'.

The Nepali PM on Tuesday (20 April) spent a substantial time in “worship and bhajan” at his official residence. Three newly built idols of Lord Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshman had been brought at the Nepali PM's residence before their ceremonial installation at Chitwan’s Madi area on Ramnavami.

It should be noted that Oli had earlier last year claimed that the Chitwan;s Madi area is the “real” birthplace of Ram, rather than in Ayodhya, as is generally believed.

Earlier in January, Oli offered prayers at the Lord Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, with around 1.25 lakh lamps lit as part of the ritual.

After puja at the temple, Oli ordered the replacement of the silver “Jalahari” ( which is at the bottom of the Lingam and gives passage to liquid offerings from devotees down to the Bagmati river) with 80 kg gold at the government’s expense.