Koshi Province Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki Faces Internal Party Weakness Amidst Leadership Challenge

Biratnagar. A debate has started whether UML Secretary and Koshi Province Chief Minister Hikmatkumar Karki, who is challenging party chairman KP Sharma Oli, is becoming weaker or stronger within his own party. Karki, appointed Chief Minister under Article 168 (5) of the Constitution, has sided with the faction opposing party chairman Oli. He is said to have strong support from the party's General Secretary Shankar Pokharel. UML has a strong presence in the Koshi Provincial Assembly. With 40 MPs in the total 93-member Provincial Assembly, UML's strength was such that even when a government was formed by a party other than UML in the second term of the Provincial Assembly, it could not last long. For this reason, he, Karki, remained Chief Minister for the longest period (34 months) in the second term. He is still in office. A three-point agreement reached between UML Chairman Oli and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' some time ago also mentions forming a government under UML's leadership in Koshi. However, Oli is preparing to make Tilkumar Menyangbo the Chief Minister this time, instead of Hikmatkumar Karki, who is also a UML secretary. Party Secretary and UML's Koshi Province In-charge Sherdhan Rai has been active since Saturday to implement Oli's preparation. Rai has already met Chief Minister Karki and suggested he resign. Sources close to the Chief Minister claim that he was asked to 'pave the way' on behalf of Oli. Rai also said that various proposals were discussed during the conversation. 'Many things happen during meetings. It might have been said to pave the way,' he said. However, sources say that Chief Minister Karki has taken the stance that he will not resign from the post of Chief Minister appointed under Article 168 (5) of the Constitution at the behest of the party chairman, and that a institutional decision should be made within the party. In response, In-charge Rai stated that no institutional decision was made in the past when appointing or changing Chief Ministers, and that if a decision is to be made, the Provincial Committee will make it. 'In the past too, the decision on who to make Chief Minister was made by the Chairman. Now too, the Chairman has decided to change. The secretariat's decision is not necessary. If necessary, the Provincial Committee can make a decision,' In-charge Rai said during the conversation. The party establishment faction has warned that if Chief Minister Karki does not resign, he will be removed from the post of parliamentary party leader. According to UML sources, In-charge Rai spent the entire Saturday and Sunday meeting almost all the MPs in the province and lobbying for the removal of the parliamentary party leader. How is Karki's position within the party? Out of UML's 40 MPs, Sirjana Danuwar is the Deputy Speaker. Therefore, if the vote is divided on the issue of becoming the parliamentary party leader, only 39 MPs can participate. UML's parliamentary party statute requires a two-thirds majority to remove Karki from the post of parliamentary party leader. Article 7 of the statute deals with the parliamentary party leader. Sub-section (2) of the same article provides for the vacancy of the parliamentary party leader's post. Clause (b) states that the post of parliamentary party leader will be vacant if a no-confidence motion is presented by a two-thirds majority of the total members of the parliamentary party and such a motion is passed. According to the same provision, although Chief Minister Karki claims to be strong, reliable sources claim that it is becoming difficult for him to secure even the support of one-third of the MPs. 'Even preventing two-thirds majority seems difficult when the party chairman and everyone else is involved,' says an MP close to Karki. The establishment faction claims that only 5 MPs will ultimately remain in Hikmatkumar Karki's support. 'It seems like they are currently staying with 11-12 MPs. By the end, the situation will be limited to only 5 people in his support,' said another MP from the establishment faction. The establishment faction claims to have more than 27 MPs to remove Karki from the post of parliamentary party leader. According to the list provided by reliable sources, 26 MPs have come out in support of the establishment faction so far, while 11 MPs are in support of Chief Minister Karki. Two have remained neutral. Sources claim that both sides are trying to poach MPs. Even if UML removes Karki from the post of parliamentary party leader, it cannot remove him from the post of Chief Minister. No-confidence motion to remove from Chief Ministership! It is not easy to remove him from the post as he became Chief Minister under Article 168 (5) of the Constitution, unless he resigns himself or a no-confidence motion is registered against him in the Provincial Assembly. Understanding this, the UML establishment faction has started discussions with the ruling coalition partners about bringing a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Karki. UML In-charge Rai had a long discussion with CPN (Maoist Centre) Koshi Province Parliamentary Party leader Indrabahadur Angbo at Big Hotel in Biratnagar on Sunday afternoon. During the discussion, Angbo said that the question was about the role of CPN (Maoist Centre) if a no-confidence motion was brought. 'He did not directly say that we will bring a no-confidence motion. But the question was what CPN (Maoist Centre) would do if such a situation arose,' Angbo said. 'In response, I said that CPN (Maoist Centre) does not want to get involved in the dispute within UML. UML should resolve its internal matters through discussions within the party. It should not be brought to the floor of the house.' Meanwhile, the Congress has also indicated that it can provide support to Chief Minister Karki if he can gather the necessary support in the style of Kedar Karki, according to sources. Congress has 29 MPs in the Provincial Assembly. Some Congress leaders have proposed that if Karki can maintain the support of at least 18 out of UML's 40 MPs, he can remain Chief Minister.