KATHMANDU, July 22: The CPN-UML Lumbini has nominated Chetnarayan Acharya for the post of Chief Minister (CM) of Lumbini Province. A UML source said that Acharya has been confirmed as the party’s CM nominee. It is reported that Acharya will submit his claim to the post of CM to Province Chief Amik Sherchan later today. 

Earlier, UML Lumbini had nominated Lila Giri for the post of CM of Lumbini Province.

Today is the last day to submit claims for the formation of a new government in Lumbini Province. Province Chief Sherchan has called to submit claims for the formation of a new government by 6:30 PM, Monday as per Article 168(2) of the constitution.

After falling into a minority, CM Jokh Bahadur Mahara resigned from his post on Sunday in the meeting of Lumbini Provincial Assembly.

On July 1, a new coalition was formed between the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML, with the aim of forming a national consensus government at the center, bringing down the government led by the CPN (Maoist Center). The UML left the Maoist-led government after forging a new alliance with the NC. This had an impact on the provincial governments as well. Consequently, in Lumbini Province, the Maoist-led government fell into a minority, with 27 members of the provincial assembly from the UML withdrawing their support.

The exit of Ashok Rai-led Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP) put Mahara in an even more difficult situation. There are two and four provincial lawmakers of JSP and NUP in the Lumbini Provincial Assembly, respectively. Before the UML, the JSP and the NUP, the Upendra Yadav-led JSP Nepal, having only one member in the provincial assembly, Ambika Kafle, withdrew its support to Mahara.

Mahara, who initially became the CM with the support of 48 provincial lawmakers, was left with the backing of only 12 provincial lawmakers after the new coalition was formed between the NC and the UML.

On April 5, Mahara had become CM with the support of the UML and some fringe parties after the government led by the then CM Dillibahadur Chaudhary collapsed. Then, he had the support of 48 provincial lawmakers in the 83-member province assembly. The UML, which supported the Maoists in the leadership of the government, participated in the government with five ministries, but after the alliance with the Maoists broke and a new equation was formed with the NC, the UML left the alliance with the Maoists. 

The resignation of CM Mahara has paved the way for the formation of a new government by the NC-UML coalition. Both parties had requested his resignation to facilitate the fOrmation of a new government.

The NC-UML alliance which created a new political equation after the resignation of CM Mahara, is going to submit their claim to the post of CM today. This provincial government will be led by the UML.

The parties that forged the new alliance have prepared to submit claims for the formation of a new government under Article 168(2) of the Constitution. The parties that have prepared to submit their claims to the provincial chief for the formation of a joint government of two or more parties have prepared to submit the signatures of the majority of MPs. 

 
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