BIRATNAGAR: CPN-UML Koshi Province Parliamentary Party has requested Province Chief Parshuram Khapung to call the largest party of the provincial assembly for the formation of a new government according to clause 3 of article 168 of the Constitution.

After Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki failed to garner a vote of confidence on Friday, the UML lawmakers who reached the office of the province Chief along with the outgoing Chief Minister argued that since Clause 2 of Article 168 of the Constitution has been used, there should be a call for the formation of a new government according to Clause 3.

Article 168 (2) of the Constitution states that in the absence of a clear majority of any party, the Chief of the province appoints the member of the provincial assembly who can obtain a majority with the support of two or more parties represented in the provincial assembly.

UML chief whip in Koshi Province Assembly Rewati Raman Bhandari informed that the UML requested the formation of the government according to Article 168 (3).

Article 168 (3) provisions that the leader of the parliamentary party having the most members in the provincial assembly will be appointed as the chief minister. UML is the largest party in the province.

He said that even if there is a call for the formation of the government according to sub-section 2, the speaker of the assembly cannot be counted when submitting the claim for the formation of the government.

“We have said that it is not possible to submit a claim to the government by connecting the speaker,” Bhandari said, “The provincial chief kept listening when we asked, but said nothing.”

UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have 46 lawmakers in Koshi. The alliance of the Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Center also has 46 lawmakers excluding the Speaker.

Chief Minister Karki is relieved of his post on Friday. After the Maoist Center and JSP left the government, the UML government was in the minority and could not garner the majority when the votes were divided on Friday.

The Provincial Assembly Secretariat informed the office of the Chief Minister that the Chief Minister has been relieved of his post.

After receiving the letter from the secretariat, the Province Chief Parshuram Khapung started consultations to call for the formation of a new government.