KATHMANDU, APRIL 29

Gandaki Provincial Assembly member Khim Bikram Shahi, whose sudden disappearance from the PA yesterday led to indefinite postponement of the debate on the no-trust motion filed against Gandaki Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, today said he would back the no-trust motion.

Shahi's party, Janamorcha Nepal, has decided to vote in favour of the no-trust motion brought by the Nepali Congress, the CPN-Maoist Centre, and the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal.

In a press statement issued today, Shahi said he was being treated in a hospital and his condition was improving. He claimed that he suddenly became ill yesterday when he was preparing to go to the Provincial Assembly. He said he fainted on the way to the hospital.

He urged the public not to be misled by reports of he being kidnapped. He said he would make things clear after being discharged from the hospital.

Yesterday, Shahi was admitted to the intensive care unit of Charak Memorial Hospital in Pokhara for COVID-19 treatment.

Janamorcha Nepal has three lawmakers in the 60-member Gandaki Provincial Assembly.

Nepali Congress lawmaker in the Provincial Assembly Krishna Chandra Nepali Pokharel, who is the opposition's candidate for the chief minister's post, had tabled the no-trust motion against Gurung on Monday.

Twenty-eight lawmakers had registered a no-trust motion against the Gurung-led government on April 16.

UML has 27 members and has the support of one independent member – Rajib Gurung alias Dipak Manange.

A version of this article appears in the print on April 30, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.