Chief Minister Rawal to take vote of confidence today

By Our Correspondent,Dhangadi, Feb. 8: Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province Rajendra Singh Rawal is scheduled to take the vote of confidence from the provincial assembly meeting on Wednesday. 

Information Officer of Provincial Assembly Secretariat Yuvaraj Jaisi said the meeting of the provincial assembly would be summoned at 11:00 am on Wednesday. 

Chief Minister Rawal will present the vote of confidence motion at the meeting and voting will be held after discussion on the motion, he added. CPN-UML’s Rawal was appointed as the Chief Minister on January 11 as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution. 

Rawal laid his claim for the post with the support of 29 provincial assembly members -- with the support of 10 provincial assembly members of UML, 11 of CPN (Maoist Centre), seven of Nagarik Unmukti Party and one provincial assembly member of Rastriya Prajatantra Party. 

As per the provision, the vote of confidence should be taken within 30 days of the appointment as Chief Minister. He should take vote of confidence before February 9. 

Dharmaraj Pathak, a member of the provincial assembly who is also the provincial secretary of the CPN (UML), said that the Chief Minister would take the vote of confidence at 11 am on Wednesday.

He mentioned that all the ruling coalition partners would give vote of confidence to the Chief Minister. However, Resham Chaudhary-founded Nagarik Unmukti Party had claimed that they would not favour a vote of confidence until its demands were met.  Almost a month has passed since the formation of the provincial government; the ruling coalition had been struggling to expand the cabinet in Sudurpaschim Province by bringing all the coalition partners on board

The Party has been demanding to withdraw the case filed against Chaudhary and other accused of the Tikapur massacre that took place in 2015.

The Nagarik Unmukti Party has forwarded its three demands, including withdrawal of Tikapur masscare that took place in 2015, release of Resham Chaudhary and others convicted in the Tikapur killing and release of the report prepared by the Lal Commission.

The party has been claiming that if the case is not withdrawn, they would not support the motion of the vote of confidence tabled by Chief Minister of the province and they would not participate in the government.

Chief Minister Rawal formed a three-member cabinet on January 12 and is struggling to finalize the ministries for those without portfolio and sharing other ministries.

In order to address the demand forwarded by the party, Chief Minister Rawal reached Kathmandu and held a meeting with the top leaders of the ruling coalition parties, along with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.