Lumbini Province CM fails to win vote of confidence

Lumbini, April 24: Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, Leela Giri, failed to garner a vote of confidence in today's meeting of the Province Assembly (PA).     

Out of the total 87 members in the PA, Giri got 33. Fifty-three PA members voted against a proposal put forth by him before the meeting seeking confidence. He won 29 votes from the CPN (UML) and four from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.     

Those who voted against him were from Nepali Congress (27), the CPN (Maoist Centre) (11), the Nagarik Unmukti Party (four), the Janata Samajwadi Party, the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party and the Janamat Party (three each), the Rastriya Janamorcha and the CPN (Unified Socialist) (one each), and one independent.     

Speaker Tularam Gharti informed that Giri could not win a vote of confidence. The government led by Giri from the UML lost its majority after the Maoist Centre withdrew its support to the government. He was appointed the Province CM on January 11.     

Earlier, 53 lawmakers in the PA from the eight-party alliance submitted signatures to the Province Chief demanding that NC's Dilli Chaudhary be appointed the new CM. (RSS)