A Political Survivor, PM Oli Felled by Fury Over Protest Deaths

Nepalese communist leader K.P. Sharma Oli was sworn in as prime minister a year ago promising stability and jobs, but resigned abruptly on Sept 9 after the worst unrest in decades amid accusations of corruption and authoritarian rule.

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KATHMANDU - Nepalese communist leader K.P. Sharma Oli was sworn in as prime minister a year ago promising stability and jobs, but resigned abruptly on Sept 9 after the worst unrest in decades amid accusations of corruption and authoritarian rule.

His resignation following violent anti-corruption protests that left 25 people dead was the latest twist in a roller-coaster political career that has mirrored the volatility of modern Nepalese politics.

From a teenage revolutionary imprisoned for 14 years to a four-time prime minister, Mr. Oli has been a central player in the political and economic uncertainty that has beset Nepal since protests led to the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.

Sworn in for his fourth term in July 2024 as the country's 14th prime minister since 2008, Mr. Oli, 73, vowed to fight corruption and poverty in the landlocked country wedged between India and China.

But the seasoned political survivor was unable to withstand a wave of public fury that forced him from office on Sept 9 over the authorities' use of lethal force against demonstrators the previous day.

An aide to Mr. Oli said the outgoing prime minister's private residence had been set on fire by demonstrators celebrating his ousting.