Nepal’s Far West Province Chief Minister Awaits Party Decision

Chief Minister of Nepal’s Far West Province, Kamal Bahadur Shah, has stated that he will proceed according to the party’s decision.

After CPN-UML withdrew its support and reduced Shah’s government to a minority, and CPN-Maoist Centre suggested he make way for a new government, Shah said he would act in accordance with the party’s decision.

According to the constitution, if a party withdraws its support to the government, the chief minister must obtain a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly within 30 days. As a result, Shah remains in charge despite being in a minority.

The largest party in the provincial assembly, CPN-Maoist Centre, has already decided to form a new government under its own leadership and has asked Shah to step down. The Nepali Congress has also decided to end its power-sharing agreement with CPN-UML in all provinces.

Shah’s Response

Shah, however, maintains that he will not resign immediately, citing the need for a conducive political environment. ‘Politically, there is no situation yet for power-sharing. The party leadership must make a concrete decision,’ Shah said in an online interview.

He added that he is aware of the talks between CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre at the central level and will wait until the situation becomes clearer.

Shah also stated that he will make a political decision based on the discussions and decisions made at the central level.

Regarding the provincial budget, which was not passed by the assembly, Shah said that the province is not facing a budget vacuum. He explained that the government had made legal arrangements to ensure that revenue collection and other essential work would continue uninterrupted.