Will Bagmati get new govt?

KATHMANDU: Opposition parties including the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist) in Bagmati Province are busy doing homework to topple the Astha Laxmi Shakya government in just less than two weeks she took the helm of the provincial government. 

The leaders of the ruling alliance said they are yet to finalize the roadmap for the new government after the split in the ruling CPN-UML finalizes formally. 

The ruling UML is most likely to split and lose the majority in the Bagmati Province Assembly after UML’s erstwhile senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal formed a new party named CPN (US). 

The opposition alliance is yet to decide who will lead the new government. However, CPN (US) leader Rajendra Pandey is much likely to replace Chief Minister Shakya. 

Former CM Dormani Poudel, in an apparent bid to prevent the party-split, stepped down as the UML parliamentary party leader and chief minister on August 18. He also proposed Shakya as the PP leader and got her elected unanimously. 

Shakya, who was said to be close to UML's then senior leader Madhav Nepal, was proposed as the chief minister of the province and Province Chief Bishnu Prasai appointed her as the executive head of the province as per Article 168 of the Constitution of Nepal on the same day. 

She is the first female chief minister as well. She inducted two ministers to her Cabinet. However, one of the ministers --- Social Development Minister Krishna Prasad Khanal---  announced his affiliation to the CPN (US). Rajendra Pandey had already opened up as the active leader of the new party. With this, CM Shakya apparently lost the majority in the 109-strong provincial assembly. 

To avoid the crisis for a time being, she recommended the governor of the province for prorogation of the ongoing session of Bagmati Province Assembly. However, the crisis is still prevailing. 

Mathematics in Bagmati Province Assembly

Of the 109 members of the provincial assembly, the ruling UML has 56 members including speaker.  Support of 55 members is enough to form the government. 

Though two members have so far joined CPN (US), leader Pandey said that other members will also soon join the new party as the Election Commission (EC) has extended a deadline until September 7 to join the new party. 

Pandey claimed that most of the 23 members who supported Madhav Nepal in the early days will join the CPN (US). 

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