Nepali Congress pulls plug on Koshi government

The political landscape in Nepal's Koshi province has shifted dramatically as the Nepali Congress withdrew its support for the provincial government led by Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki. The party's parliamentary group made the decision on Wednesday, sending a formal letter to the Koshi Provincial Assembly Secretariat and informing the assembly that its lawmakers would now occupy the opposition benches.

This move places Karki in a precarious position, requiring him to seek a fresh vote of confidence in the provincial assembly. With 29 lawmakers in the 93-member assembly, the Nepali Congress's departure from the ruling coalition significantly alters the balance of power. It is expected to trigger a new round of negotiations among political parties as they vie to form the next governing coalition.

The Congress had joined Karki's government under a power-sharing agreement with the CPN-UML. However, the coalition has reportedly come under strain, leading to the Congress's decision to pull out. Karki had previously urged the Congress to support his government in a confidence vote, but the party opted to withdraw its existing support instead.

Given that no single party holds a majority in the 93-member assembly, the withdrawal of the Nepali Congress is likely to reopen negotiations for the next governing arrangement. Parties will now need to reassess their numbers and explore potential alliances as Karki attempts to retain his government's position. The immediate focus will be on whether he can garner sufficient support from other parties to survive the upcoming confidence vote.