NC to challenge Gandaki Chief Minister appointment in Supreme Court

KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) has resolved to challenge the appointment of the Chief Minister of Gandaki Province in the Supreme Court.

In a meeting convened at Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s residence in Budhanilkantha on Monday, NC’s current and former office bearers unanimously agreed to take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Earlier, Gandaki Province Chief Dilliraj Bhatta had appointed CPN-UML parliamentary party leader Khagraj Adhikari as the Chief Minister.

NC’s decision stems from the inclusion of Krishna Thapa, who was elected as the Speaker from the Maoist Center, in the signature used to assert majority support in the parliament.

NC contends that including the Speaker’s signature in the list of lawmakers to form the government is not only unconstitutional but also contravenes the precedent set by the Supreme Court in a similar case in Koshi province.