POKHARA: Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendraraj Pandey is seeking a vote of confidence today.

Pandey, who assumed office for a second term following a Supreme Court mandate on May 29, needs the support of 31 members in the 60-member Provincial Assembly to secure a majority.

Currently, Pandey’s party, Nepali Congress, holds only 27 seats.

He is likely to receive support from Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), which has 2 seats.

To secure a majority, NC will need the support of the RPP and two additional members.

If independent lawmaker Deepak Manange and Phanindra Devkota of the Nepal Samajbadi Party, elected under the CPN-Maoist Center’s election symbol, support Pandey, he will achieve the majority.

However, the Maoist Center has issued a whip to vote against the confidence motion, which poses a constitutional challenge for Devkota.

NC Chief Whip Nanda Prasad Neupane stated that they are in dialogue with all opposition members to secure the necessary majority.

With immediate prospects for securing a vote of confidence looking bleak, Chief Minister Pandey met with senior leaders in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Following these discussions, he decided to seek the vote of confidence before the budget session.

The vote of confidence proposal was registered at the Province Assembly Secretariat on Friday evening.