SURKHET, April 9: The deadline set by the Karnali Province Chief for the formation of a new government is ending today.

Rajkumar Sharma, who served as the chief minister from CPN (Maoist Center), resigned on April 3. On the same day, Province Chief Tilak Pariyar called for submission of claims for the formation of a new government by a provincial assembly member who has the majority in the assembly with the support of two or more parties by April 9. The deadline to present the claim for chief ministership with the support of the majority of members expires at 5:50 PM today.

Chief Minister Sharma resigned on April 3 while addressing the provincial assembly meeting after the chief ministership of Karnali Province was allocated for the UML as per an agreement among the ruling coalition parties at the center.

After Sharma’s resignation, the path has been opened for the leader of the CPN-UML parliamentary party in the provincial assembly, Yam Lal Kandel, to become the chief minister. Kandel is presenting the chief minister's claim within the deadline given by the province chief today. 

To form a new government in the 40-member Karnali Province Assembly, the support of 21 provincial assembly members is required. With the CPN-UML holding 10 seats, the Maoist Center holding 13 seats, and the Unified Socialist Party holding 1 seat in the new ruling coalition, they are poised to secure a comfortable majority.

Similarly, the Nepali Congress has 14 members, while there is one member from the RPP and an independent member.