Gandaki CM Pandey resigns

GANDAKI: Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey has resigned from his post on Wednesday. He submitted his resignation to Gandaki Province Chief, Dilli Raj Bhatta, today.

Chief Minister Pandey-led government was in minority after the CPN (Maoist Centre), a partner in the ruling alliance, withdrew its support to the government on March 6.

Though there is a constitutional provision that a vote of confidence should be taken within 30 days after withdrawal of support, CM Pandey resigned from the post without seeking a trust vote.

Chief Minister Pandey said he resigned from the post as the situation did not warrant a vote of confidence after the change in power equation among the parties.

Out of 60 members in the Province Assembly, support of 31 members is required for forming the government. There are 27 members of the Nepali Congress, 22 of CPN-UML, seven of the CPN (Maoist Centre), two of Rastriya Prajatantra Party and one independent member in the Gandaki Province Assembly.

‘I worked sincerely for building a prosperous province’

Talking briefly to the media persons after submitting his resignation letter, Chief Minister Pandey said that he worked honestly after assuming the Chief Minister’s office to make the province self-reliant and prosperous.

He claimed that the government has been successful in guaranteeing good governance and he is satisfied with the provincial government’s work.

“I had made a plan to bring a new and implementable plan in the policies, programmes and the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, based on the experiences of the 11-month office tenure. However, the political developments changed. I feel that I worked sincerely in connection to making the province self-reliant and prosperous,” CM Pandey said.

He lamented that laws that are required to be made as per the constitution for the implementation of federalism have not been enacted as yet, and he played a key role for the enactment of such laws.