Koshi Chief Minister Karki passes floor test

ITAHARI: Koshi Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki has secured a vote of confidence.

Out of 83 members present in the Koshi Province Assembly on Wednesday, 66 voted in favor of his motion of vote of confidence. Fifteen members voted against the motion.

Karki, who is also the parliamentary party leader of CPN-UML, underwent a floor test after province assembly members of CPN (Maoist Center) withdrew their support on August 30 following the formation of a new alliance of Nepali Congress (NC) and UML in the center.

Province assembly members of CPN (Maoist Center) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) voted against the motion, while members of CPN (Unified Socialist) did not participate in the voting.

UML is the largest party in the 93-member assembly with 40 seats, followed by Nepali Congress with 29, and Maoist Center with 13. Unified Socialist and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) have four and one member, respectively.