Shankar Pokharel resigned

KATHMANDU: AUGUST 11 – Lumbini Chief Minister Shankar Pokharel has resigned. Narayan Acharya, personal secretary to state chief Amik Sherchan, told Makalu Khabar that he resigned at 1:10 p.m. He has resigned. ‘

Chief Minister Pokharel was in the clear minority in the state assembly. The opposition coalition has nominated Kul Prasad KC (Sonam) as the next Chief Minister. He was elected as a member of the state assembly from Pokhrel Dang Constituency No. 2 (1) through an electoral alliance between the UML and the UCPN (Maoist) Center. He was appointed as the Chief Minister for the first time on 15 February 2018 and for the second time on May 1.

On August 3, 34 lawmakers from a four-party opposition coalition filed a no-confidence motion against the chief minister for the third time. Earlier, a no-confidence motion was filed against Pokhrel on April 19. On the morning of the day the special session was convened to discuss the issue, Pokhrel resigned and was appointed the chief minister for the second time, claiming a single majority of the UML. He handed over the signatures of 41 people to state chief Dharmanath Yadav.

Amar Bahadur Dangi had said that his signature was forged. Pokharel had resigned from the parliament on May 2 without taking the oath. Meanwhile, Pokhrel has been left behind by MPs from his constituency Dangi and Kapilbastu’s Pandey. Driga Narayan has joined the Nepali Congress and become a member of the National Assembly.

After Bimala Khatri Wali of Pokhrel’s home district also chose the UCPN (Maoist) center, Pokhrel’s party had reduced the number of UML MPs from 41 to 38. With 80 MPs currently in the state assembly, 41 seats are needed for a majority. The opposition coalition has 41 MPs, including 19 from the Congress, 18 from the Maoist Center, three from the JSP and one from the Janamorcha.