Karnali Chief Minister Sharma resigns; UML’s Kandel to be next Chief Minister

SURKHET: Karnali Chief Minister Rajkumar Sharma has stepped down from his position.

Sharma announced his resignation during his address in the provincial assembly on Wednesday. He was scheduled to take a vote of confidence on Wednesday itself.

Sharma, the parliamentary party leader of CPN (Maoist Center), stepped down on the instruction of CPN (Maoist Chairman) and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Dahal instructed Sharma to resign after the ruling coalition partners assigned the leadership of the Karnali Province Government to CPN-UML.

Sharma’s resignation has paved the way for UML’s Yam Lal Kandel to become the province’s next chief minister.

Four parties of the ruling coalition – UML, Maoist Center, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), and CPN (Unified Socialist) – forged an understanding on Tuesday to share province governments among themselves. As per the understanding, UML will form governments in three provinces – Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali; Maoist Center in two provinces – Lumbini and Bagmati, and JSP and Unified Socialist in Madhesh and Sudurpashchim provinces, respectively.

Additionally, the Maoist Center and Unified Socialist have agreed to lead governments in Bagmati and Sudurpashchim by turns.