Kathmandu, August 31
The Bagmati provincial government led by the CPN-UML vice-chairperson Ashta Laxmi Shakya has been pushed into the minority as 12 lawmakers of the UML defected to the new CPN-Unified Socialist.
Following the Election Commission’s decision to require provincial lawmakers of the party that has recently split at the central level to inform the commission if they want to join the new party, 12 lawmakers went to the commission’s provincial office in Hetaunda and informed in writing that they joined the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led CPN-Unified Socialist.
The Shakya government was formed just two weeks ago as incumbent Dor Mani Paudel resigned in the UML’s bid to retain Shakya in the party.
Whereas the chief minister requires the support of at least 55 lawmakers, with 12 joining the new party, the UML has only 44 members in the Provincial Assembly and no other party has supported her government.
