Maoist Center’s Mahara set to become Lumbini Chief Minister

LUMBINI: With the formation of a new power equation in the center, the leadership of provincial governments is also set to change. According to the power-sharing deal among ruling coalition partners, CPN (Maoist Center) will form the government in Lumbini Province.

The decision means Jokh Bahadur Mahra, the parliamentary party leader of CPN (Maoist Center) in Lumbini Province Assembly, will become the province’s next chief minister. Sudarshan Baral, chairperson of Lumbini Provincial Committee of Maoist Center, said that parties in the ruling alliance have begun discussions about forming a new government in Lumbini Province. “As per the understanding reached in the center, we have begun discussions to form a government under Maoist Center’s leadership. We are preparing to submit the signatures of assembly members to the Province Chief by Wednesday,” Baral added.

Local leaders of CPN-UML, which is the largest party in the Lumbini Province Assembly, are disappointed with the decision to allow the Maoist Center to form the government in Lumbini. However, the local committee of UML will abide by the understanding reached in the center, according to Tulsi Chaudhary, chief whip of CPN-UML in Lumbini Province Assembly. “The issue of who is leading the government is trivial. A new government will be formed as per the understanding reached among the coalition partners,” he added.

Chief Minister Chaudhary to undergo floor test on Thursday

Meanwhile, incumbent Chief Minister Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary is preparing to take a vote of confidence.

A member of Chaudhary’s secretariat told Himal Press that the chief minister will undergo a floor test on Thursday. “The cabinet meeting held on Tuesday decided to recommend the Province Chief to summon a special session of the provincial assembly at 4 pm on Thursday for a vote of confidence,” Minister for Home, Lumbini Province Government, Santosh Kumar Pandey, said.

The new coalition partners, however, plan to submit the signatures of the majority of assembly members to the Province Chief on Wednesday itself.

UML has 29 members in the 87-member provincial assembly. Similarly, Maoist Center has 11 (including the Speaker), Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) has three and CPN (Unified Socialist) has one. Since the coalition will need the support of one more member, it plans to bring Nagarik Unmukti Party or Rastriya Prajatantra Party on board.