Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday secured a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives.

Dahal received 268 votes in the 275-member parliament. A total of two lawmakers voted against and none remained neutral. A total of 270 lawmakers were present in today’s meeting. The prime minister required at least 138 votes to win the trust motion.

Apart from the lawmakers of parties in the ruling alliance, lawmakers from Nepali Congress, CPN (Unified Socialist) and Loktantrik Samajbadi Party voted in favour of the confidence motion.

“I declare that the motion of the vote of confidence tabled by Prime Minister Dahal has been endorsed with a majority,” said oldest parliamentarian Pashupati Shumsher Rana, who chaired the meeting as a Speaker.

Addressing the parliament while tabling the trust motion, Prime Minister Dahal said he is ready to take ahead the politics of consensus, cooperation and mutual trust. The prime minister said he asked for a vote of confidence with the commitment to ensure social justice, good governance and prosperity.

Saying that political changes have happened in Nepal in collaboration between the left and democratic forces, PM Dahal said the country has moved forward as both forces have come together.

“I am present in this sovereign parliament to ask for a vote of confidence with the commitment to ensure social justice, good governance and prosperity. As a prime minister, I am committed to the politics of consensus, cooperation and mutual trust, not prohibition, insult and revenge,” said PM Dahal.

Prime Minister Dahal said that there is no alternative to a national consensus on issues of nationality, national security, and foreign relations, adding that an agreement is also necessary to take the remaining works of the peace process to a logical conclusion.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed CPN (Maoist Centre) chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal as prime minister on December 25 after he showed the support of 169 lawmakers. As per the constitutional provision, a prime minister appointed under Article 76(2) needs to secure a vote of confidence from the parliament within 30 days of the appointment.

The cabinet expansion is expected to move ahead with the prime minister securing the vote of confidence. The prime minister has been saying he would expand the council of ministers only after passing the floor test. The current cabinet has eight ministers. The prime minister can now appoint 17 more ministers as the constitution has limited the size of the Cabinet to 25 members.