BUTWAL: With the eight-month long tenure of CPN-Maoist Center-led government of Lumbini Province heading towards the final weeks, Nepali Congress (NC) has started internal homework to claim the province leadership.

Sources claim Chief Minster Kul Prasad KC ‘Sonam’ seems unwilling to transfer the power as per the agreement and has been tempting NC offering it more ministries rather than the leadership.

While dethroning Shankar Pokhrel led government in the province, NC and Maoist Center had reached an agreement to share the province leadership in each eight months.  Accordingly, Maoist Center leader KC was made the Lumbini province Chief Minister.

It has been eight months since KC became the Chief Minister. As per the agreement, NC will  get chance to form government within February.

Phakruddin Khan, chief whip of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party, said that his party would take the lead next month as per the agreement.

“The two parties have agreed to lead the government for eight months. Accordingly, we are clear that the Lumbini government will be formed under our leadership in Phagun,” he said.

KC was appointed Chief Minister by a coalition of NC, Maoist Center, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), CPN (Unified Socialist), Rastriya Janamorcha and an independent MP.

NC, the largest party in the alliance, has agreed to allow KC to become the chief minister for only eight months. The KC-led government has only one month left.

After the implementation of the agreement, NC parliamentary party leader Birendra Kanodia will become the chief minister. However, leaders close to KC  is unwilling to transfer the power claiming the public will criticize the alliance for too frequent change of power.