Kathmandu, August 17
The chief ministers of Bagmati and Lumbini provinces are set to seek votes of confidence today. Chief Minister of Bagmati Province Indra Bahadur Baniya and Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Chet Narayan Acharya are preparing to seek votes of confidence at meetings of their respective provincial assemblies today.
As the two chief ministers prepare to seek votes of confidence, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has decided to remain neutral. The RPP has instructed its provincial assembly members in both provinces to remain neutral. The party directed the leaders of its parliamentary parties to instruct their provincial assembly members to remain neutral until another decision is made regarding government formation in the provinces.
In the Bagmati Provincial Assembly, the Nepali Congress is the largest party with 36 seats. The CPN has 26 seats, while the CPN-UML has 25 seats, including the deputy speaker. The RPP has 12 seats, the Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party has three, and Hamro Nepali Party has two seats. A majority of 53 provincial assembly members is required to form a new government in Bagmati.
The Lumbini Provincial Assembly has 87 seats, but only 83 members are currently in office after four members resigned to contest the election held last February. Based on the current number of members, 42 votes are required for a majority in the provincial assembly. The assembly has 29 members from the CPN-UML and 13 from the CPN, including the speaker.
