Oli’s decision impacting provincial governments

DHARAN, DECEMBER 25

The dissolution of the House of Representatives due to internal feud in the ruling Nepal Communist Party has started showing impact on provincial governments.

The Madhav Kumar Nepal- and Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led faction today filed a no-trust motion against Chief Minister Dormani Poudel in Bagmati Province.

As neither Dahal nor Oli faction has majority to form the government in Province 1, government here also might face the same fate. The Dahal faction has started its game to unseat incumbent Chief Minister Sherdhan Rai. The Dahal faction is in majority in the provincial assembly.

The incumbent CM Rai, who is close to KP Sharma Oli, has fallen in minority in the party and PA.

Of the 93 lawmakers, NCP has 67 members in Provincial Assembly. Fifty-one were elected from the former CPN-UML while 16 were from the then CPN-Maoist Centre. Out of the 50, 26 are close to CM Rai. But, Bhim Acharya of the Dahal-Nepal faction claimed that only 19 members were in favour of CM Rai and the government had already lost its majority. The government needs support of 47 lawmakers to form the government.

Rumours are doing rounds that Dahal-Nepal faction will form the government with support of other parties such as Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Limbuwan.

Nepali Congress has 21 members, JSP-N has three and Rastriya Prajatantra and Federal Democratic National Front have one lawmaker each in the provincial assembly.

The main opposition Nepali Congress Chief Whip Kedar Karki claimed that the provincial government could not be formed without his party’s backing.

“Our party has not made up its mind to join the government. But we can back the government formation process,”

Karki added. CM Rai, Internal Affairs and Law Minister Hikmat Karki, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Environment Jagadish Kusiyat are close to KP Oli while Financial Affairs Minister Indra Bahadur Aangbo, Social Development Minister Jivan Ghimire and State Minister Jasmaya Gajmer are close to Dahal and Nepal faction.

NCP Province 1 Chief Whip Buddhi Kumar Rajbhandari said that it was natural for the province to fall under the impact of the centre. “But, the province government will not change as rumoured by some in media, ‘Rajbhandari noted, adding “We are still in majority and former CPN-UML has majority in the Provincial Assembly, so nothing will change.’ Province 1 deputy leader of NCP Tanka Aangbuhang also ruled out the likelihood of the government change.

He said that Dahal and Nepal were not in favour of government change in the province. He, however, said that the government’s performance would be reviewed.

 

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