Karnali CM Sharma to take vote of confidence today

Published On: April 3, 2024 11:30 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, April 3: Karnali Chief Minister (CM) Rajkumar Sharma is taking a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly today.

Upendra Kumar Gurung, information officer of the Karnali Province Assembly Secretariat, said that a meeting of the provincial assembly will convene at 3PM on Wednesday for the purpose of CM Sharma seeking a vote of confidence.

Earlier on Tuesday, the chief minister was scheduled to take the vote of confidence. But after CPN-UML, the main component of the alliance, showed dissatisfaction and withheld a vote of confidence, the meeting of the provincial assembly was postponed for today at the request of the chief minister.

There was an understanding within the alliance that UML would get the post of chief minister of Karnali Province as part of the power-sharing arrangement. However, before finalizing the share, Chief Minister Sharma had already initiated the process of seeking a vote of confidence in the provincial assembly.

After the UML assumed control, they urged the Chief Minister to resign without seeking the vote of confidence.

Despite proposals from both the Chief Minister and the Maoist Center to resign within a day or two after the vote of confidence, the provincial assembly meeting scheduled for Tuesday was postponed due to UML's disagreement.

UML sought a written commitment from the Maoists regarding this matter. Ransingh Pariyar, Chief Whip of the Karnali Province Parliamentary Party of the Maoists, expressed positivity towards the demand of the UM.

He also clarified that the Chief Minister has not resigned for political reasons since the proposal to seek a vote of confidence has already been registered in the Provincial Assembly Secretariat. However, he reiterated the provincial parliamentary party's commitment to the alliance and its decisions.

A majority of 21 MPs out of the 40-member Karnali Provincial Assembly is required to form the provincial government.

The composition includes 10 MPs from UML, 13 MPs from the Maoist Center, and 1 MP from the Unified Socialist Party. Additionally, there are 14 MPs from Nepali Congress, 1 from Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), and 1 independent member.