KATHMANDU: Gandaki Province Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung has failed the floor test in Provincial Assembly (PA) Thursday.

Gurung got 27 votes in his favor and 30 against him, Assembly Speaker Netra Nath Adhikari announced. Out of 60 lawmakers in the Gandaki PA, 31 votes were required to secure the vote of confidence.

Speaker Adhikari stated that 58 members were present at the PA meeting and 57 members took part in the voting while Province Assembly Krishna Thapa of Rastriya Janamorcha chose to remain neutral.

Among the absentees are Rajiv Gurung also known as Deepak Manange.

The UML has 27 lawmakers in Gandaki PA, Nepali Congress (NC) 15, CPN (Maoist Center) 12, Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) two, Janamorcha 3. There is one independent in the province.

The Chief Minister had the constitutional obligation to face the vote within a month after his appointment as the Chief Minister being the parliamentary party leader of the single largest party on May 10.

As the Chief Minister failed to get vote of confidence, the Province Chief shall call the parties for the formation of a new government as per Article 168 (5) of the Constitution of Nepal. Any PA member presenting his/her claim to win vote of confidence would be appointed the Chief Minister by the Province Chief.

Constitutionally, the mid-term election would be announced after the dissolution of the PA as per Article 168 (7) if the PA member fails to garner majority.