KATHMANDU, March 14: With the formation of a new power coalition at the center, the Nepali Congress (NC) has initiated an internal discussion regarding the ongoing crisis in the Koshi Province government.
NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba held a discussion with two vice-presidents, two general secretaries, Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak and Kedar Karki, chief minister of the Koshi province government, on Thursday morning.
Ruling coalition agrees to form new govt under NC's leadership...
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According to a party leader, the discussions centered around potential strategies to address the situation in the Koshi Province government.
With 47 members required to form a government in the 93-member Koshi provincial assembly, the new ruling coalition commands 40 seats from the UML, 13 from the Maoists, 4 from the Unified Socialist Party, and 1 from the JSP. Hence, a coalition government comprising the UML and Maoists could be easily formed in Koshi Province.
Within the Koshi Province Assembly, the NC holds 29 seats, while the RPP holds 6 seats.
As per Article 168(5) of the Constitution of Nepal, Kedar Karki assumed the position of Chief Minister on October 14, 2023, with the support of 8 NC provincial members and 39 CPN-UML members. During the vote of confidence on October 18, 2023, provincial members from various parties, including NC, CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center), Unified Socialist, and Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), expressed their support. This vote of confidence remains intact.
While Karki may face a numerical challenge, there is currently no constitutional or legal basis for forming an alternative government. Indra Bahadur Angbo, leader of the CPN (Maoist Center) Parliamentary Party in the provincial assembly, has also stated that the Maoist Center will not withdraw support or create instability, as there is no viable alternative government at present.
