Nepali Congress prepares to form new government in Lumbini

Kathmandu: The Communist Party Of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) has lost majority in Lumbini province.

The UML-led government has lost the majority in Lumbini province after the resignation of ministers from the CPN (Maoist Center). Jokh Bahadur Mahara, Indrajit Chaudhary and Krishna Kc of Maoist Center have resigned en masse from their post on Sunday. Janamat party has also quit the UML-led government.

After the withdrawal of support from major coalition partners, Nepali Congress has made all preparations to form a new government in the province. Fifty-three members of the provincial assembly representing different political parties have already lodged an application to the province chief requesting to appoint Nepali Congress provincial assembly leader Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary as cheif minister.

The signatories of the application lodged before the province chief Amik Sherchan belong to the lawmakers from Nepali Congress, CPN (Moist Center) and other fringe parties.

Earlier, the 87-member provincial assembly of Lumbini had appointed Lila Giri of UML as chief minister of the province on January 11. Maoist Center, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Janata Samajbadi Party, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, Janamat party and three independent members of the assembly voted in Giri’s favor.

But with the latest political twist, Giri-led government is in no position to lead the province. So, the preparation is underway to form a new government under Chaudhary’s leadership.

Support of 44 assembly members is required to form a new government in Lumbini Province. Given this, Nepali Congress is in comfortable position with the help of other political parties.

In Lumbini’s Provincial assembly, UML has 29 members and Nepali Congress is the second-largest party  with 27 members. Maoist center has 10 members and, Rastriya Prajatantra party and Janata Samajbadi Party have 4 members each. While Janamat Party and Loktantrik Samajbadi Party each have three members and CPN (Unified Socialist) and Rastriya Janamorcha have one provincial member each.