NC puts ministers' resignations on hold in Lumbini

KATHMANDU, July 28: The Nepali Congress (NC) has put on hold the planned resignation of its ministers from the Lumbini Provincial Government as political negotiations over a new power equation continue.

The party's five ministers had been preparing to submit their resignations to Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya on Monday. All five had already sent their resignation letters to the NC Parliamentary Party office on Sunday. However, despite making final preparations to resign, the party decided to delay the move.

NC Chief Whip for Lumbini Province Jamuna Dhakal said the Parliamentary Party concluded that it would be premature to resign given the ongoing political discussions.

"Our ministers were ready to submit their resignations on Monday, and all their resignation letters have already been received by the Parliamentary Party," Dhakal said. "But after recent discussions among political parties, we concluded that there is no need to rush. So the resignations have been put on hold for the time being."

According to party sources, the NC is exploring alternative alliances to remain part of the provincial government. As part of that effort, the party has held informal talks with the CPN-UML. It also discussed the resignation issue with Chief Minister Acharya before deciding to postpone the move.

"The party wants to see how the evolving political situation unfolds before taking the next step," a source said. "However, once the conditions are in place for a new government under the agreement between the Nepali Communist Party and the UML, the Congress will leave the government. The resignation letters are ready, they just have not been submitted."

Several NC ministers who had been in Kathmandu returned to Dang on Monday expecting to resign, but the Parliamentary Party instructed them to wait.

Despite being in coalition with the UML in Lumbini Province for the past two years, the NC is reluctant to leave the government and is looking for ways to retain its role through a new political arrangement.

Before the UML and the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) reached their power sharing agreement, both the NC Provincial Committee and its Parliamentary Party had decided to continue the coalition with the UML. That decision, however, became irrelevant after the two left parties agreed to form a new alliance.

The NC currently holds five ministerial portfolios in the provincial government. Saroj Thapa serves as Minister for Urban Development and Drinking Water, Dhanendra Karki is Minister for Economic Affairs, Prachanda Bikram Neupane heads the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Transport, Janmajaya Timilsina is Minister for Social Development, and Devkaran Prasad Kalwar is Minister for Forests.

Meanwhile, the UML and the NCP have yet to finalise the framework for the new coalition government. The biggest sticking point remains who will lead the provincial government.

Under the power sharing agreement, the post of chief minister is allocated to the UML. Although the current Chief Minister, Chet Narayan Acharya, belongs to the UML, uncertainty remains over whether he will continue in office.

One faction within the UML wants Acharya to remain chief minister, while another is pushing for a change in leadership. Bhumishwor Dhakal has emerged as a strong contender to replace Acharya.

"There is an internal debate within the party over whether the current chief minister should continue or a new leader should be appointed," a source close to Acharya said. "If the party decides to appoint a new chief minister, Acharya will also have to resign. No final decision has been made yet."