Three MPs from Karnali to identify as Unified Socialist leaders

KATHMANDU: Three lawmakers from Karnali Province assembly have shown themselves on the CPN-Unified Socialist side after the formal split of CPN-UML.

According to sources, province assembly members Devi Oli (Rukuma West), Chandra Bahadur Shahi (Mugu) and Padma Bahadur Rokaya (Jumla) have decided to join Madhav Kumar Nepal-led Unified Socialist.

They are going to the Election Commission office on Wednesday and identify themselves in favor of the newly formed Unified Socialist party.

In the 20-member UML parliamentary party in the province, nine had openly supported disgruntled Nepal faction during the intra-party dispute. However, the disgruntled faction is divided over whether to support the split as done by leader Nepal or to work under the same leadership they revolted against before.

Earlier, UML had repeatedly taken action against lawmakers of disgruntled faction including Prakash Jwala, Kurmaraj Shahi, Ammar Bahadur Thapa and Nanda Singh Budha. The four had crossed the floor and given vote of confidence to Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi despite UML’s whip not to do so.