Chief Minister (CM) of Province 1 Sher Dhan Rai who had been bragging about the no-confidence motion easily rejected has now urged the Dahal-Nepal faction to take back the motion.
The CPN faction of Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has urged the Dahal-Nepal faction to withdraw the motion and wait for the decision of main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) during the bilateral meeting in Biratnagar on Thursday to resolve the dispute before the meeting of provincial assembly scheduled for Sunday.
The Oli faction was represented by Internal Affairs Minister Hikmat Karki and lawmaker Bimal Karki, and the other faction by Jeevan Ghimire, Indra Bahadur Angbo and Laxman Tiwari during the meeting.
"Do withdraw it now. The process will automatically move forward once the Election Commission issues notice about split of CPN. Do give that much time," Angbo quoted the government delegation as saying. The Oli faction also proposed to take back the suspension against 16 lawmakers of the Dahal-Nepal faction if the motion is withdrawn.
The Dahal-Nepal faction in response pointed that it has also punished eight lawmakers including CM Rai which will be withdrawn if Rai were to withdraw suspension of 16 lawmakers, and urged the Oli faction to not try to extend the term of Rai government with such ploy.
"We are ready to accept the decision and move forward if the assembly rejects the no-confidence motion. Would you accept the assembly decision or not?" Angbo quoted the faction as asking the Oli faction during the meeting.
He added that the Oli faction complained that the no-confidence motion was registered without completing due procedures in response.
The Oli faction refused to speak about the meeting with Setopati.
A total of 37 CPN lawmakers have registered the no-confidence motion against CM Rai proposing Bhim Acharya as the next CM. Ruling CPN has 67 members in the 93-strong provincial assembly.
NC can play a decisive role in the province with 21 seats in 93-strong provincial assembly and whichever CPN faction it allies with can mathematically form the government. But the main opposition party has yet to decide which faction to ally with.
