KATHMANDU, JULY 8
Bagmati Province Chief Minister Shalikram Jamkattel has found himself in a precarious situation after the CPN-UML withdrew its support for the Bagmati government, leaving the CPN-MC-led government in minority.
Shalikram Jamkattel led Bagmati Province now has minority status, with the largest and second largest political parties-NC and CPN-UML signing a power pact deals to oust Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Chief Minister Jamakattel intends to face a vote of confidence.
The CPN-UML's provincial ministers resigned, informing Chief Minister Salikram Jamakattel of the party's decision to withdraw support for the provincial government.
Jagannath Thapaliya, Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning; Keshav Prasad Pokharel, Minister for Forest and Environment; Eka Lal Shrestha, Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation; and Prakash Shrestha, Minister for Industry, Commerce, Land, and Administration, have resigned.
With the UML's withdrawal of support, Jamkattel has the support of only 29 legislators in the Provincial Assembly.
As per the decision made at the CPN-MC's parliamentary party meeting on Sunday, Chief Minister Jamakattel is prepared to seek a trust vote.
According to the NC-CPN-UML-power pact, the NC would lead the Bagmati government, as the two major parties in parliament would easily secure a majority if they formed a government.
Jamakattel, who took over as CM of Bagmati province on January 9, 2023, maintained the government through the trust three times. On January 17, 2023, he won the confidence from the CPN-UML, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and CPN-MC coalition. 105 MPs backing him.
Bagmati Provincial Assembly has 110 members, including 37 from the Nepali Congress, 27 from the CPN-UML, 21 from the CPN-MC, 13 from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, 7 from the CPN (US), 3 from the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, and 2 from the Hamro Nepali Party.
The NC and the CPN-UML's agreement to form a government of national consensus have a domino effect on the provincial governments.
The NC inked a power pact to form a national government on Monday night after the CPN-UML abandoned the CPN-MC and allied with the largest party in parliament. On Thursday, the CPN-UML withdrew support from Lumibini and Sudurpaschim, leaving both provincial governments in minority.
However, both the CPN-UML and NC have backed the Janamat Party-led government in Madhes. During the trust vote on Saturday, Chief Minister Singh received support from the CPN-UML, Nepali Congress, and Loktantrik Samajwadi Party.
In Saturday's provincial assembly meeting, he received 67 votes in favour and 34 votes against. However, to secure that number, Singh had to sack six ministers from four parties- CPN-MC, CPN (US), Nagarik Unmukti Party and Sanghiya Samajwadi Party.
Hikmat Karki and Yamlal Kandel of the CPN-UML currently lead the Koshi and Karnali provincial governments, respectively. Gandaki Province's chief minister is Surendra Raj Pandey of the NC.
NC has the largest in the four assemblies of Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim, while CPN-UML is the largest in Koshi, Madhes, and Lumbini. NC and CPN-UML leaders have agreed to allow the Janamat Party to lead Madhes's government.
With 40 seats, the CPN-UML is the largest party in Koshi Province. NC has 29 seats. They have 69 seats in the 93-member assembly, far exceeding the number required for a majority to form the government.
They hold a comfortable majority in Bagmati's 110-member provincial assembly, with NC's 37 members and CPN-UML's 27.
The CPN-UML holds the most seats in Lumbini, with 29, followed by the NC, which has 27. The combined strength of the two parties is sufficient to secure a majority in the Lumbini provincial assembly, which has 87 members.
The NC has 27 seats in Gandaki, PA, followed by the CPN-UML, which has 22. In the 60-member assembly, the two parties have a clear majority. Similarly, NC has 14 seats and CPN-UML has 10 in Karnali's 40-member assembly. NC holds 17 seats in the 53-member Sudurpaschim assembly, while the CPN-UML has 11.
