Gandaki CM Pandey Secures Vote of Confidence

Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey has successfully secured a vote of confidence in the Gandaki Province Assembly. The vote, held on Monday, saw Pandey, the parliamentary party leader of the Nepali Congress (NC), receiving support from 31 members in the 60-member assembly.

The breakdown of the vote showed strong support from various parties and an independent member. Twenty-seven assembly members from the Nepali Congress, two from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), one from the Nepal Samajbadi Party (NSP), and independent member Rajeev Gurung voted in favor of Pandey’s motion.

In contrast, assembly members from the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) opposed the motion. Tensions rose when Phanindra Devkota of the NSP, who was elected with the CPN (Maoist Center)’s election symbol, crossed the floor to support Pandey. This defection prompted vocal opposition from the UML and Maoist Center members, who chanted slogans against Nepal.

Devkota defended his decision, stating, “Since I was elected to the province assembly as the common candidate of the Nepali Congress, Maoist Center, and NSP alliance, my decision to give a trust vote to Chief Minister Pandey should not be seen otherwise.”

Similarly, independent member Rajeev Gurung, who had previously supported the UML-Maoist Center government led by Khaga Raj Adhikari, also switched allegiance to back Pandey. This shift highlights the evolving political dynamics within the province assembly.

With this vote of confidence, Chief Minister Pandey solidifies his leadership and continues his term with reinforced political backing.