KATHMANDU:  Ruling CPN-UML lawmakers of Sudurpaschim Province are mulling over changing the Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Trilochan Bhatt and are waiting for the party secretariat’s green signal for it.

According to UML sources in the province, discussions have started in the Sudurpaschim about the formation of the UML  government.

The UML’s Chairman Oli faction in the province has gone furious against CPN-Maoist Center leader and CM Bhatt after UML Pathan Singh Bohora has been sacked from the post of Minister for Physical Infrastructure.

With the party Chairman and Prime Minister KP Oli showing flexibility towards senior leader Madhav Kumar Khanal, UML lawmakers formerly sharing cabinet in Maoist Center led cabinet have started preparing for the government under their own leadership.

However, they are waiting for the party center’s decision on forming a government.

“The main issue now is how to fight coronavirus. What happens to the government at the center will be the same here,” Bohora said elated to see PM Oli reappointed in the post.

Just as the Janata Samajwadi Party’s Mahanta Thakur and Rajendra Mahato factions at the center sided with the PM Oli government, UML leaders in Sudurpaschim also hope that the JSP MPs will support them.

In Sudurpashcim province, there are 25 lawmakers from UML, 14 from Maoist Center, 12 from Nepali Congress and 2 from JSP.  A Maoist lawmaker has been suspended.

As 27 MPs are needed to form the government, no party has a majority alone.

JSP’s two MPs are the kingmaker in Sudurpaschim province.