Himal Press 
ITAHARI: Ministers representing the Nepali Congress (NC) in the Koshi Provincial Government have submitted their resignations.
NC ministers submitted their resignations to Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki on Wednesday.
The ministers tendered their resignations as per the party’s decision to end its alliance with the CPN-UML.
The resigning cabinet members include Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development Pradeep Sunuwar, Minister for Health Man Bahadur Limbu, Minister for Industry, Agriculture and Cooperatives Israil Mansuri, Minister for Tourism, Forest and Environment Bhim Parajuli, and Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure Development Shobha Chemjong.
After the NC decided to end its partnership with UML at the provincial level, UML has formed a new alliance with the Nepali Communist Party (NCP). As per the power-sharing understanding between the two parties, UML will continue to retain the leadership of the provincial government.
The resignation of NC ministers has paved the way for the NCP to join the provincial government.
The ruling party, however, has struggled to reach an internal consensus regarding who will hold the chief minister’s post. Party sources indicate that UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli is in favor of appointing Til Kumar Meyangbo to lead the provincial administration.
However, incumbent Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki has reportedly insisted that he will step down only after a formal decision is made by the party’s Secretariat.
