Caretaker Gandaki CM also stakes claim for new govt formation

POKHARA, June 12: Despite losing a trust motion on Thursday, caretaker chief minister of Gandaki Province, Prithvi Subba Gurung has staked his claim for the formation of a new government in the province. 

Gurung reached the Office of Province Chief and submitted a letter to Province Chief Sita Kumari Poudel claiming that he has the support of members of the ruling CPN-UML, Rastriya Janamorcha (RJM) and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP). 

The members of RJM and JSP, however, signed in the letter to support Krishna Chandra Nepali, parliamentary party leader of the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC).  As many as 31 provincial assembly members including Nepali reached the Office of Province Chief in person and submitted the claim on Friday. 

Nepali is said to have the support of 11 members belonging to the CPN (Maoist Center), 2 of Rastriya Janamorcha (RJM) and 3 of Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) along with the 15 members of the NC. 

Province Chief Sita Kumari Poudel, on Friday, invited the members of the assembly to stake claim for new government formation after Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung lost a confidence motion on Thursday. Any member, who can muster the support of the majority of members in the province assembly, can submit his/her claim for the position of chief minister by 3PM Saturday.