President Bidya Devi Bhandari has called on political parties represented in the Legislature-Parliament to pick a new prime minister through political consensus within seven days, the Office of the President said.

The President made the call on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal tendered his resignation, to choose a new prime minister on the basis of political understanding as per Article 298 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.

After accepting Dahal’s resignation on Wednesday itself, the President had asked him to continue as caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed.

If parties fail to pick a consensus candidate for the post of prime minister in seven days, the prime minister shall be elected by a majority of all the then members of the Legislature-Parliament, according to Article 298 (3) of the constitution.

Dahal announced his resignation on Wednesday to honour a deal reached in July-August last year with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba.