Effect of CPN-UML split: Bagmati Province government falls into minority

CHITWAN:  After the main opposition CPN-UML split into two, the newly formed Bagmati Province government has fallen into minority.

The Ashta Laxmi Shakya-led Bagmati government has fallen into minority after two lawmakers of the CPN-UML–Social Development Minister Krishna Prasad Sharma Khanal and provincial lawmaker Rajendra Prasad Pandey– join the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led CPN (Unified Socialist) party.

Bagmati Provincial Assembly has 109 lawmakers. Of them, UML has 56 lawmakers. Now, the UML has 54 lawmakers after two lawmakers joined the Unified Socialist party. The UML needs 55 lawmakers for majority. The Shakya’s government has fallen into minority after two lawmakers abandoned the UML.

Now, Shakya has to coordinate with other fringe parties to protect her government. She was appointed as the Chief Minister of Bagmati Province on August 18.

She appointed Keshav Pandey as the minister for Internal Affairs and Physical Infrastructure and Krishna Khanal as the minister for Social Development the same day.

The Province Chief appointed Shakya as the Chief Minister after Chief Minister Dor Mani Paudel put in his papers.

Shakya has already returned to the party’s responsibility she held before the UML split into two. But, Minister Khanal changed the party by taking part in the verification process of the Unified Socialist party.

The government has fallen into minority after Khanal and Pandey who were elected to the Province Assembly securing more than 27,000 votes from Chitwan and Dhanding joined the Unified Socialist party.

Similarly, Laxman Lamsal, Basundhara Humagain of Kavre and Rama Ale of Kathmandu have also joined the Unified Socialist party.

Leader Rajendra Pandey claimed that at least 10 Province Assembly members will join his party.

In that case, Shakya’s government will not be saved with the support of fringe parties.

Now, CPN-Maoist Centre has 23 lawmakers, Nepali Congress and other parties have 22 and eight lawmakers respectively in the Bagmati Province. Among them, Bibeksheel Sajha party has three, Majdoor Kisan Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party have two lawmakers each. There is one independent lawmaker in the province.

There is a slim chance that Bibeksheel and the independent lawmaker will support the government led by UML.

Apart from UML, Bibeksheel, Majdoor Kisan Party and Rastriya Prajatantra, all the parties have been moving ahead by forming a grand alliance with the centre government.

But, Majdoor Kishan Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party have stood in favour of elections. That is why, Majdoor Kisan Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party will play an instrumental role to protect the UML-led government.

“We don’t have any plans to go to the Province government. But, we can play an important role to protect this government,” a Province lawmaker said, “But, we have not hold the discussion over the issue yet.”