Karnali chief minister Raj Kumar Sharma on Friday secured a vote of confidence in the provincial assembly.

The motion tabled by the chief minister received 29 votes in favour.

A total of 13 members from the CPN (Maoist Centre), 14 from the Nepali Congress, one from the CPN (Unified Socialist) and one independent member voted in support of the confidence motion.

A total of 10 assembly members, including nine from the CPN-UML and one from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, voted against in the 40-member assembly.

The chief minister underwent the floor test for the third time after the CPN-UML pulled out of the government. Earlier, he had secured the confidence of the provincial assembly after the Rastriya Prajatantra Party withdrew its support.

The CPN (Maoist Centre) provincial assembly leader Sharma was appointed Karnali chief minister on January 11 after he laid his claim for the post with the support of 25 provincial assembly members.