NUP and Unified Socialist mount pressure on CM Mahara to implement agreement before vote of confidence

Published On: April 12, 2024 11:00 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

BUTWAL, April 12: Newly-appointed chief minister (CM) of Lumbini Province, Jokh Bahadur Mahara, is scheduled to seek a vote of confidence on Friday. The Secretary of the Provincial Assembly, Durlabh Kumar Pun, confirmed that a session of the Lumbini Provincial Assembly has been called for 1 PM today for the CM to seek a vote of confidence.

Mahara was appointed as the chief minister on April 5. Mahara is supported by 48 provincial lawmakers including 29 of the CPN-UML, 10 of Maoist Center, 4 of Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP), 3 of Janata Samajwadi Party, one of CPN (Unified Socialist) Party and independent provincial assembly member Khadak Basnet. Out of the 87 provincial assembly members, 44 provincial lawmakers are required for a majority.

However, Mahara faces demands to fulfill the terms of an agreement reached with the CPN (Unified Socialist) Party and the NUP before proceeding with the vote of confidence.

At the formation of the government, it was agreed that the CPN (Unified Socialist) Party would be given a ministry. Yet, with the Chief Minister commencing the confidence vote process without adhering to this agreement, the CPN (Unified Socialist) Party insists that no vote will be granted until the agreement is implemented.

In Lumbini Province, Bhagwati Adhikari stands as the lone provincial assembly member from the CPN (Unified Socialist) Party. The party's provincial secretary, Sudan Khanal, revealed that the Chief Minister had promised her the post of Minister of Social Development.

Khanal expressed concern over potential deviation from the agreement, stating, "The agreement clearly stipulates the allocation of one ministry, but now there are discussions of appointing independent provincial lawmaker Basnet as a minister. This breach of agreement and the potential sidelining of our party is unacceptable."

Similarly, the NUP has said that it will not give a vote of confidence to CM Mahara unless the party gets two ministries in the provincial Cabinet. Rajkumar Chaudhary, chief whip of the NUP's parliamentary party, said, “We insist on the allocation of two ministries, one physical infrastructure ministry and any other ministry. Otherwise, we will not give a vote of confidence to the CM."