CPN-UML has returned to the opposition bench less than a month after it supported rebellion in Nepali Congress (NC) to make Kedar Karki the Koshi chief minister (CM).
UML has already quit the Karki government and has now decided to stay in the opposition bench from Monday. The parliamentary party meeting in Biratnagar on Monday, however, has decided to continue its support for the Karki government and withdraw support only after evaluating its performance.
The party had been adamant that NC and UML should run the government and quit the government after CM Karki inducted coalition parties in the government.
Ram Rana Magar, who was in the government from UML, resigned on Saturday after Karki inducted ministers from CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist) in the Cabinet on Friday.
Karki had passed floor test in the provincial assembly on October 18 with all the parties except RPP voting in support of his government.
Karki, who is close to leader Shekhar Koirala in NC, had staked claim for chief minister submitting signatures of 47 lawmakers including eight NC lawmakers (including himself) and 39 CPN-UML lawmakers to Province Chief Parshuram Khapung going against the center’s decision to support Indra Angbo of CPN (Maoist Center) as the coalition candidate.
NC has 29 seats the provincial assembly, CPN (Maoist Center) has 13, CPN (Unified Socialist) has four and Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) has one seat. UML is the largest party in the 93-strong provincial assembly with 40 seats including the deputy speaker. RPP has six seats.
