Chief Minister Shalikram Jamkattel of Bagmati Province is set to undergo a vote of confidence on April 1st, following recent political upheavals within the region.
The announcement came after Ratna Prasad Dhakal, the Chief Minister’s party CPN-Maoist Center whip, submitted a proposal for Jamkattel to seek a vote of confidence in the provincial assembly secretariat on Friday. The move follows the withdrawal of support from the government by the Nepali Congress party on March 6th.
Constitutional provisions dictate that if a political party participating in the government withdraws its support, a vote of confidence must be conducted within 30 days. As a result, Chief Minister Jamkattel is now facing a crucial test of his leadership.
For Jamkattel to retain his position, he must secure a minimum of 56 votes in the 110-member Provincial Assembly. However, recent developments suggest a favorable outcome for the Chief Minister. Following an agreement between CPN-UML, Maoist Centre, CPN-Unified Socialist, and Hamro Nepali Party, Jamkattel appears to have garnered the necessary majority support.
In Bagmati Province, the United Marxist-Leninist (UML) holds 27 seats, while the Maoist Centre controls 21 seats. Additionally, the CPN-Unified Socialist Party and Hamro Nepali Party possess seven and two seats respectively, further bolstering Jamkattel’s prospects in the impending vote of confidence.
