Pokhara. Gandaki Chief Minister Surendraraj Pandey is taking vote of confidence today. According to the agenda of the Provincial Assembly Secretariat, Chief Minister Pandey is scheduled to take a vote of confidence in the Provincial Assembly meeting at 3 pm.

Pandey, the leader of the Nepali Congress State Assembly parliamentary party, who was appointed as the Chief Minister on 16th June, is going to take the vote of confidence as per the constitutional provision. According to Article 168 (3) of the Constitution, Pandey, who became the Chief Minister as the leader of the largest party, will need the support of 31 provincial assembly members to win the vote of confidence.

In the 60-member provincial assembly, there are 27 from the Nepali Congress, 22 from the UML, seven from the Maoist Center (except the Speaker), two from the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party and one independent.

Pandey had earlier also become the Chief Minister on 14 Baisakh 080. This is his second term. Pandey resigned on February 21 after a change in the then ruling coalition.
After him, UML leader Khagraj Adhikari was appointed as the Chief Minister from the current central government coalition. However, as per the constitution, the Speaker Krishna Prasad Dhital announced that he had received a vote of confidence, saying that he had received a vote of confidence based on the majority of those present in the Provincial Assembly.

In a petition filed by Pandey in the Supreme Court against that, the court annulled the vote of confidence received by the Chief Minister on 14th June and the court ordered the formation of the government as per Article 168 (3) of the Constitution. According to the same order, Pandey was appointed as the Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Pandey needs to garner the support of 4 more MPs to get the vote of confidence in the state assembly. Apart from UML and Maoists in Gandaki, there are 1 from Nepal Samajwadi Party, 2 from RPP and independent MP Deepak Manange.