Province 1 CM Acharya taking trust vote today, CPN (Unified Socialist)’s Rai likely to be appointed new CM

KATHMANDU, November 1: Chief Minister of Province 1 Bhim Acharya is scheduled to take a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly today. 

Acharya, who lost his majority in the assembly after the split of CPN-UML, is likely to lose the vote of confidence as the ruling alliance has decided to vote against him. The alliance includes the ruling Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist) and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP). Meanwhile, Samyukta Loktantrik Rastriya Manch has also decided to support the ruling alliance. The alliance has also decided to issue a whip to its lawmakers to vote against CM Acharya.

Similarly, the ruling alliance has decided to appoint Rajendra Rai of CPN (Unified Socialist) as the new chief minister of Province 1, according to Kedar Karki, chief whip of NC’s parliamentary party.

The ruling alliance has also decided to issue a whip to its lawmakers to vote against CM Acharya.

After the split of CPN-UML, 10 lawmakers of the party in Province 1 had joined CPN (Unified Socialist)-led by Madhav Kumar Nepal. With this, UML now has 41 lawmakers in the Province including the speaker. Of 92 votes in the Province, CM Acharya must garner at least 46 votes to save his position. 

There are 21 lawmakers of NC, 15 of Maoist Center, 10 of Unified Socialist, three of JSP  and one of Samyukta Loktantrik Rastriya Manch.