Province 1 Chief Minister (CM) Rajendra Rai has passed the floor test on Wednesday.
The vote of confidence motion presented by CM Rai received 50 votes in the provincial assembly while 29 lawmakers of CPN-UML lawmakers voted against his government.
CM Rai had registered a notice about wishing to take floor test at the secretariat on Sunday. The provincial assembly was set to hold voting on Tuesday but it was postponed for Wednesday after the main opposition party UML requested for deferral stating that party lawmakers cannot attend the assembly meeting due to the strike called by Netra Bikram Chand led CPN.
Parliamentary party leader of CPN (Unified Socialist) Rai was appointed CM on November 2 after Bhim Acharya of CPN-UML resigned on November 1.
Acharya, who was appointed CM on August 26 after shifting camp to join UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, was in minority after 10 CPN-UML lawmakers joined CPN (Unified Socialist).
The ruling coalition also including Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajwadi Party and Sanghiya Loktantrik Manch will expand the Cabinet now that it has passed the floor test.
CM Rai told the parliamentary party meeting of Unified Socialist on Saturday that some ministries will be split as there are many aspirants for the post of minister.
There are currently 92 lawmakers in the 93-strong assembly. The ruling coalition has comfortable majority with Nepali Congress having 21 lawmakers, CPN (Maoist Center) 15, Janata Samajwadi Party three and Sanghiya Loktantrik Manch one to go with the 10 in the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led Unified Socialist.
UML now has 41 lawmakers including speaker and a lawmaker who is currently absconding after being accused of crime. But only 29 of the UML lawmakers were present during the voting on Wednesday.
