BIRATNAGAR: Province 1 Chief Minister Sherdhan Rai has suspended 15 lawmakers for filing a no-confidence motion against him.

Chief Whip Buddhi Kumar Rajbhandari said that Chief Minister Rai suspended them in capacity of Parliamentary Party leader.

Earlier on Monday, CM Rai had sought clarifications from 19 lawmakers for filing the motion against him.

The suspended lawmakers are Bhim Prasad Acharya, Rajendra Rai, Mohan Kumar Khadka, Lila Ballabh Adhikari, Lachhuman Tiwari, Kul Prasad Samba, Indra Bahadur Angbo, Vijay Kumar Bishwas, Yashoda Adhikari, Dhirendra Sharma, Jeevan Ghimire, Kusum Kumari Shrestha, Tank Angbuhang, Sabitra Kumari Regmi, and Sarita Thapa.

Meanwhile, the Prachanda-Nepal faction of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has appointed Bhim Acharya as the NCP parliamentary party leader of Province 1.

A meeting of the NCP Parliamentary Party of Province 1 held on Thursday appointed Acharya by ousting Chief Minister Rai.

A no-confidence motion had been filed against Chief Minister Rai on December 27. There are 93 lawmakers in Province 1. Of them, the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has 67 lawmakers.

There are more than 40 lawmakers in favor of the Prachanda-Madhav faction and 20 lawmakers in favor of Chief Minister Rai.