Krishna Chandra Nepali of Nepali Congress (NC) has been appointed the chief minister (CM) of Gandaki.
Gandaki Governor Sita Kumari Paudel appointed Nepali who staked claim with signature of 31 lawmakers including 15 of NC, 11 of CPN (Maoist Center), two each of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and Rashtriya Janamorcha, and independent lawmaker Rajeev Gurung on Friday as the new CM as per Article 168(5) of the Constitution.
The opposition lawmakers earlier picketed the Governor's Office after she did not appoint Nepali as the CM even after the 24-deadline expired at three Saturday afternoon.
There were reports that Prithvi Subba Gurung, who failed failed floor test on Thursday, again staked claim on Saturday claiming that he has support of JSP and Krishna Thapa of Janamorcha, who was granted voting rights by the Supreme Court (SC) after being expelled from the assembly by the party. The reports raised suspicion that Governor Paudel may refuse to appoint either of the two candidates as CM like President Bidya Devi Bhandari did during the process of government formation at the center on May 21.
Gurung reportedly submitted a letter by Krishna Thapa of Janamorcha and another by the provincial committee of the Thakur-Mahato faction of JSP pledging support for him even as the two JSP lawmakers are close to Baburam Bhattarai and had signed in the letter supporting Nepali on Friday.
Rajeev Gurung, who was elected from Manang as independent candidate with support of CPN-UML and was not present during the floor test on Thursday, has become the kingmaker in the 60-strong provincial assembly.
Prithvi Subba Gurung failed floor test on Thursday.
The confidence vote sought by CM Gurung received 27 votes in the provincial assembly where 58 lawmakers were present. Thirty lawmakers voted against the government while Krishna Thapa of Rashtriya Janamorcha Party remained neutral. Rajeev Gurung was not present during the voting.
CM Gurung received votes only from CPN-UML while lawmakers from Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center) and Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) voted against the government.
Gurung was reappointed CM on May 12.
Four parties had registered a letter at the governor's office earlier on May 12 staking claim for majority government led by Krishna Chandra Nepali of Nepali Congress (NC). But Governor Sita Kumari Paudel reappointed Gurung as CM in capacity of the leader of the largest party in the assembly pointing that NC, CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and Rashtriya Janamorcha cannot muster majority after two Janamorcha lawmakers declared that they will not support NC-led government.
Gurung had resigned on May 9 a day before the provincial assembly was to vote on the no-confidence motion against him.
