DHANGADHI: Sudurpaschim Province Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah is set to seek a vote of confidence in the Provincial Assembly on July 31, following the withdrawal of support from the Nagarik Unmukti Party.
The decision was confirmed on Sunday after a meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party, which unanimously agreed to back Shah. A party whip has also been issued, directing all NC provincial assembly members to vote in his favor, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat said.
Despite losing support from the Nagarik Unmukti Party, which has seven members in the 53-member assembly, Shah’s coalition still holds a majority. The Nepali Congress leads with 18 members, followed by its key partner CPN-UML with 11 seats.
The main opposition, CPN (Maoist Center), also holds 11 seats. The CPN (Unified Socialist) has four (with one member currently suspended), Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has one, and there is one independent lawmaker.
According to constitutional provisions, Shah is required to obtain a vote of confidence within 30 days of losing majority support, giving him until August 2 to prove his legitimacy in the assembly.
Shah, a senior NC leader, has been serving as Chief Minister since February 9, 2023. This will be his second vote of confidence since assuming office.
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