Chief Minister Thapa to seek vote of confidence on Monday

 Morang: Chief Minister Uddhav Thapa on Friday informed the State Assembly Secretary to seek a vote of confidence. Deputy Speaker Srijana Danuwar has fixed the date for discussion on the motion of confidence in the State Assembly at 1 pm on Monday, nc chief whip Bhupendra Rai said.

According to Rule 128 of the Koshi State Assembly Regulations 2074 BS, a notice should be given to the State Assembly Secretary two days before the discussion of the motion for taking the vote of confidence, but sub-rule (3) of that rule provides that the Secretary shall submit the notice to the Speaker and the Speaker shall fix the date and time for the Speaker to present the motion of vote of confidence in the meeting. According to the constitutional provision, Chief Minister Thapa has to seek a vote of confidence from the State Assembly by August 15.

In the 93-member State Assembly, there are 47 lawmakers including 29 from the nepali congress, 13 from the Maoist, four from the Unified Socialist Party and one from the JSP. A total of 46 lawmakers, including the deputy speaker, 40 from UML and six from RPP are in the opposition. Chief Minister Thapa will be able to prove his majority in the Assembly to seek a vote of confidence only if Deputy Speaker Danuwar presides over the State Assembly.

Nepali Congress leader Thapa, who was appointed chief minister on July 12 with the signature of the then Speaker Gautam, resigned from the post of Speaker after the Supreme Court's order revoked his post. A meeting of the NC Parliamentary Party held on Thursday said a whip has been issued to the provincial lawmakers not to go out of Biratnagar until chief minister Thapa takes the vote of confidence.

Chief Minister Thapa has urged the parties representing in the State Assembly to give a vote of confidence. However, chief whip of the main opposition party UML, Rewati Raman Bhandari, said he had urged Chief Minister Thapa to create an atmosphere for giving a vote of confidence by passing the bill to replace the budget that came from the ordinance earlier or by taking both the proposals together.