KATHMANDU, September 13: Nepal’s political deadlock deepened on Friday as Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel met President Ramchandra Paudel amid marathon discussions among party leaders, but no agreement has yet been reached on the appointment of an interim Prime Minister.
The meeting came as the death toll from this week’s anti-corruption protests climbed to 51, according to police. The violent demonstrations, largely led by young protesters, toppled the government and triggered chaos across the country.
Police spokesman Binod Ghimire confirmed that at least 21 protesters and three policemen were among the dead. “More than 12,500 prisoners remain at large after escaping multiple jails during the unrest,” he said, adding that authorities have so far recovered more than 100 guns looted during the riots.
Indian Woman Dies in Kathmandu Hotel Fire
Amid the protests, a 57-year-old Indian woman from Ghaziabad, Rajesh Gola, died after jumping from the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kathmandu when protesters set the building on fire. Her husband, Ramvir Singh Gola, is hospitalized at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital with serious injuries.
Interim PM Talks Continue
Speculation is mounting that former Chief Justice Sushila Karki could be sworn in as Nepal’s interim Prime Minister as early as today. Another potential candidate, Kulman Ghising, the former head of the Nepal Electricity Authority credited with ending the country’s long power outages, had also emerged as a frontrunner earlier this week.
Despite several rounds of negotiations between political parties, no consensus has been reached yet, prolonging the political uncertainty in the Himalayan nation.