Karnali Province Chief Minister Rajkumar Sharma resigned from the position on Wednesday.

Sharma announced his decision to step down from the post during a meeting of the provincial assembly.

As per the power-sharing deal reached among the ruling coalition partners in the centre, a CPN-UML lawmaker will lead the Karnali government.

Sharma along with other province members of the CPN (Maoist Centre) had refused to implement the centre’s decision. Chief Minister Sharma had planned to seek the vote of confidence from the assembly on Wednesday and the assembly secretariat had made all the arrangements for the same. He however later backtracked on his plan after instruction from Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also chair of the CPN (Maoist Centre).

While addressing the assembly meeting, Sharma said he had planned to seek the vote of confidence from the meeting but he decided to step down from the post in view of the changed political situation.

The Maoist Centre’s provincial assembly leader was appointed Karnali Province chief minister on January 11, 2023.