No-confidence motion filed against Karnali CM as coalition collapses

SURKHET, July 17: Following an agreement to form a new government under the leadership of the Nepali Congress, a no-confidence motion has been filed against Karnali Province Chief Minister Yam Lal Kandel. The Nepali Congress withdrew from the Kandel-led government on Wednesday after he refused to hand over the leadership to the party as agreed.

After two days of discussions with the Nepal Communist Party (erstwhile Maoist Centre), 16 lawmakers from the two parties, along with former Chief Minister Raj Kumar Sharma, signed and registered the no-confidence motion against Kandel at the Province Assembly Secretariat. The two parties have agreed to form a new government under the leadership of Nepali Congress leader Jeevan Bahadur Shahi.

"It is natural for the largest political party in the province to lead the government," NCP Chief Whip Jeevan Bahadur GC said. "The remaining issues will be discussed."

The motion registered at the Province Assembly proposes Shahi as the Chief Minister of Karnali Province under Article 188 (5) of the Constitution.

The Province Assembly Secretariat has scheduled the next House meeting for July 23. A meeting of the Business Advisory Committee will be held on July 22, a day before the House meeting, to finalize the agenda, including the no-confidence motion.

"The no-confidence motion is taken up for discussion in the assembly seven days after its registration. The honorable Speaker notifies members that the motion will be tabled for discussion," said Assembly Law Officer Madan Khadka. "If the Chief Minister chooses to face the motion, voting will take place. If he resigns, the House will not proceed with the motion."

Chief Whip GC said Kandel should resign now that the two largest parties in the Province Assembly have jointly filed the motion against him.

"Of the 40 members in the Province Assembly, 29 belong to either the Nepali Congress or the NCP," he said. "The Chief Minister is aware of this reality. It would be better for him to resign and pave the way rather than wait until the end."

Government Spokesperson and Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Binod Shah said the Chief Minister now has only two options. "We can either face the no-confidence motion or resign and pave the way," he said. "A decision will be made by Friday."

Shah said it was unfortunate that the political situation had escalated to the point of a no-confidence motion. "He could have stepped down in line with the agreement, after which the central leadership would have made the necessary decisions for implementation in the province. We waited for the center to act, but it failed to do so in time, leaving us with no option but to file the motion," he said.

Stating that the province's two largest parties had jointly filed the motion, Shah said they command an absolute majority in the assembly.