KATHMANDU, April 14: The main opposition, Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Maoist Center) have agreed to topple the incumbent CPN-UML-led government in Gandaki Province after Rastriya Janamorcha Party agreed to support them to form a new government.

Chairman of Rastriya Janamorcha Party, Chitra Bahadur KC in a press statement on Wednesday said his party has withdrawn its support extended earlier to Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung. KC has also announced to support the soon-to-be introduced no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Gurung.

Chairman KC said that their support to the erstwhile Nepal Communist Party (NCP) was meant to support the government led by the left party. Arguing that the Supreme Court verdict that invalidated the unification between CPN-UML and Maoist Center had changed the country’s political situation, KC said they decided to withdraw their support to Chief Minister Gurung as he is carrying out activities to support UML Chairman KP Oli, who earlier took a regressive move to dissolve parliament.

“The Gandaki Province government has been working in favor of Oli. Its activities aim at supporting Oli’s regressive move,” he said. “We will therefore extend our support to any vote of no-confidence motion introduced by the opposition parties.”

Chairman KC said that his party will support the government led by NC or the Maoist Center but will not immediately join the government. Rastriya Janamorcha has three lawmakers in the Gandaki Provincial Assembly and their support is critical for the survival of the Gurung-led provincial government that has already fallen in a minority.

There are a total of 60 members in the Gandaki Province Assembly. While the UML has 27 lawmakers, NC and the Maoist Center have 15 and 13 lawmakers, respectively. The NC and the Maoist Center are in a position to form a new government if they are able to garner the support of the Rastriya Janamorcha Party.

Meanwhile, NC and Maoist Center have expedited negotiations to form a new government in the Center and various provinces including Gandaki. NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had held a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss the formation of a new government.

If everything goes as planned, NC and the Maoist Center have reached an understanding to form an NC-led government in Gandaki Province and Maoist Center-led government in Lumbini Province, according to party insiders. NC’s Parliamentary Party leader in Gandaki Province Krishna Chandra Pokharel is seen as the strongest candidate for the new chief minister.

 
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