Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has agreed to take charge as Nepal’s interim Prime Minister after massive protests forced the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. In her first statement after accepting the role, Karki praised India’s support, saying, “Main Modi ji ko namaskar karti hoon (I greet Prime Minister Modi). I have a very good impression of Modi ji.”

In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, Karki confirmed she was ready to lead. She explained that the younger generation, especially Gen-Z protesters, had trusted her to guide Nepal during this difficult time. “The Gen-Z group led the recent movement in Nepal, and they trusted me to lead the government for a short period,” she said.

Karki emphasised that her priority would be to honour those who lost their lives in the demonstrations. “Our immediate focus will be something for the young people who died during the protest,” she said, pointing out that both young men and women voted in favour of her leadership. “I have accepted their request to lead the interim government.”

Reflecting on Nepal’s troubled political past, Karki admitted that the road ahead would not be easy. “There have always been problems in Nepal in the past. The situation is very tough now. We will work together for the development of Nepal. We will try to establish a new beginning for the country,” she explained.

Karki, who became Nepal’s first female Chief Justice in 2016, also highlighted the importance of India’s support. “There is a lot of respect and love for India. India has helped Nepal a lot,” she noted. Meanwhile, Nepal’s capital Kathmandu remained under strict curfew on Wednesday. Soldiers patrolled empty streets a day after violent anti-corruption protests brought down the government.

The Nepal Army announced that restrictions would stay in place until Thursday morning and warned that looting, arson, or vandalism disguised as protests would be treated as crimes.The Health Ministry confirmed that at least 30 people had died and over 1,000 were injured in the violence. Tribhuvan International Airport, which was shut down for 24 hours, has now reopened. Security forces have also arrested several people linked to the unrest.
With Karki stepping in, Nepal now hopes for stability and a fresh start after weeks of turmoil.