BIRATNAGAR, April 9: CPN-UML Koshi Province Parliamentary Party Leader Hikmat Kumar Karki has staked a claim for the post of Chief Minister of Koshi Province. Karki submitted the claim before the provincial chief on Monday.

Rewati Raman Bhandari, chief whip of the CPN-UML parliamentary party, said that Karki submitted a claim for Chief Minister with the signatures of 39 UML and 13 provincial lawmakers from the Maoist Center. According to Bhandari, this claim was made due to the perceived minority status of the current Chief Minister, Kedar Karki, as provincial lawmakers withdrew their support.

Bhandari said, "We have pressured the provincial chief to form a new government by claiming the position of chief minister as the current Chief Minister is in the minority." Bhandari has stated that Chief Minister Kedar Karki now has only two options left: either resign or seek a vote of confidence from the Provincial Assembly.

A total of 47 provincial lawmakers are required for a majority in the Koshi Provincial Assembly. Koshi has 53 provincial lawmakers including 40 from UML and 13 from CPN (Maoist Center). Claims have been submitted with the signatures of 52 provincial lawmakers, not counting the Deputy Speaker elected from UML. The provincial lawmakers of ruling coalition parties CPN (Unified Socialist) Party and Janata Samajwadi Party have not signed in favor of Hikmat Karki.

 
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