Ministers of CPN (Maoist Center) in Gandaki have resigned on Wednesday.
Internal Affairs Minister Hari Bahadur Chuman and Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Lekh Bahadur Thapa went to the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers and submitted their resignation to CM Prithvi Subba Gurung in the afternoon.
The parliamentary party meeting of Maoist Center earlier on Wednesday decided to quit the party. Handing over the resignation Chuman, who is also the parliamentary leader of Maoist Center in the province, expressed hope for future cooperation with the CM.
"We have handed over resignation not by ourselves but due to the instruction from above. Let there be an environment for us to still move forward with cooperation," he stated. "The parliamentary party of Gandaki should have been allowed to take a decision on whether to remain in the government or not. But it was imposed from above," he added ruing the lack of practicing federalism not just in the state but even in political parties.
CM Gurung lauded both the ministers in response pointing he had to be angry with performance of ministers from CPN-UML at times but not with the duo.
The Gurung government does not look to be under immediate threat despite resignation of the Maoist ministers as the party has not decided to withdraw its support for the government.
The Gandaki government was formed three years back with alliance of CPN-UML and Maoist Center that eventually unified to form CPN.
CPN-UML has 28 seats, Nepali Congress 15, Maoist Center 12, Rastriya Janamorcha three and Janata Samajwadi Party two in the 60-strong provincial assembly.
The government will not be in problem until Janamorcha withdraws its support even if Maoist Center decides to withdraw its support.
CM Gurung, meanwhile, said he is ready to face any situation. "I am aware that no-confidence motion can be registered at any time. It is politics. I will face every situation," he told Setopati.
