BUTWAL: One of the trickle-down effects of the rifting conflict in the erstwhile ruling Nepal Communist Party, a no-confidence motion has been filed against Lumbini Chief Minister (CM) Shankar Pokhrel on Monday.

According to sources, as per the not-yet-public agreement between Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-Maoist Center, a no-confidence against CM Minister has been filed in the assembly today.

Earlier, after CPN-UML had withdrawn its support given to the Maoist Center leader and Karnali Province Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi.

Shahi had sought the vote of confidence from the province assembly and with support from NC and four UML lawmakers in the province had passed the floor test.

To make Shahi’s ‘vote of confidence’ proposal a success, four UML lawmakers had crossed the floor Karnali.

NC and Maoist Center have proposed Maoist Center parliamentary leader in the province Kul Prasad KC as the new Chief Minister.

Lawmakers of NC, Maoist Center, Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), Rastriya Janamorcha (RJM) had initiated a signature campaign to oust Chief Minister Pokharel through the no confidence motion.

In the 85-member province assembly, ruling CPN-UML has 41 lawmakers, NC (19), CPN (Maoist Center) (17), JSP (6) and RJM (1).

Of them 42 lawmakers from NC (19), Maoist Center (17), JSP (5) and RJM (1) have signed on the no confidence motion against Pokharel.

One lawmaker of JSP Kalpana Pandey who is close to Mahantha Thakur, the central council chairman of JSP), is said to be soft-cornered towards the Pokhrel government. According to JSP sources, she has not signed due to the direction from the higher committee of the party.

Her vote is indispensable to overthrow Chief Minister Pokharel unless, as in Karnali, UML’s Khanal-Nepal faction crosses the floor to vote against CM Pokhrel.

The source claimed that Pandey has also agreed to vote against Pokhrel of late.