By Deo Narayan Sah in The Kathmandu Post, Oct 17, 2023
Newly appointed Koshi Province Chief Minister Kedar Karki will face a floor test on Wednesday.
Karki on Monday informed provincial assembly secretary Gopal Prasad Parajuli about tabling a trust motion at the meeting.
Karki, who was appointed chief minister as per Article 168(5) of the constitution on Saturday, has to secure a vote of
confidence within 30 days of the appointment as per the constitutional obligation.
Karki on Sunday took an oath of office and secrecy and formed a three-member Cabinet. He appointed CPN-UML deputy provincial
assembly leader Ram Bahadur Thapa and Nepali Congress lawmaker Shumsher Rai as ministers without portfolio.
Sources claimed that the Congress-led central alliance is pressing the chief minister not to take a vote of confidence with the
support of the UML. However, chief minister Karki wants to get a vote of confidence from the UML provincial members as well to
avert any possibility of holding mid-term elections. Sources claimed that Karki wants to form an all-party Cabinet to sustain
the government full term.
A provincial assembly member said the chief minister has no option other than facing the floor test immediately as the province
will head for a snap poll if Karki fails to secure the confidence of the provincial assembly as per Article 168(4) of the
Constitution.
The chief minister decided to face a trust vote to institutionalise the support by UML lawmakers and the revolt by Shekhar
Koirala faction of the Congress, said the lawmaker.
Chief Minister Karki called a meeting of all Nepali Congress provincial assembly members on Monday seeking a vote of
confidence.
On Friday, Karki produced the signatures of 47 lawmakers—eight from his party and 39 from the UML—before Province Head
Parshuram Khapung. The contest became complex after Indra Bahadur Angbo of the CPN (Maoist Centre) also submitted his
application to the province head, claiming the support of 47 lawmakers.
On Saturday, Khapung appointed Karki the new chief minister after 47 lawmakers went to the province head’s office to verify
their signatures supporting the dissident candidate. Angbo didn’t even show up to reaffirm his claim to the post.
The province will head for mid-term polls if Karki fails to secure the trust vote. The assembly has exhausted all other options
to appoint a chief minister since the election last year.
Meanwhile, the CPN (Maoist Centre) has decided to give a vote of confidence to Karki. The province committee meeting of the
party held on Monday decided to vote in favour of Karki during the floor test scheduled for Wednesday. “The party’s provincial
committee has decided to give a vote of confidence to Kedar Karki,” Angbo said. “The provincial assembly party meeting will
endorse the decision.”
https://kathmandupost.com/province-no-1/2023/10/16/koshi-chief-minister-karki-to-face-floor-test-on-wednesday
