CPN (Maoist Centre) provincial assembly leader Indra Bahadur Angbo is all set to stake a claim for the chief ministerial post in Koshi Province from the Nepali Congress-led alliance.

A meeting of the ruling alliance held at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Thursday decided to field Angbo as chief minister nominee, said Ramesh Lekhak, Nepali Congress chief whip.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress had decided to take the initiative to form the new government in Koshi Province under its leadership. A meeting of the top leaders of the party had decided to make all efforts to form a Congress-led government as per an earlier agreement in the coalition. However, the party retracted from its stand and decided to support the CPN (Maoist Centre) for the chief ministerial bid.

Uddhav Thapa, Congress provincial assembly leader, was appointed chief minister twice but he could not secure a trust vote.

Koshi Province Head Parshuram Khapung on Saturday called upon provincial members to stake their claim for the post of chief minister and form a government in the province.

Issuing a notice on Saturday, Khapung asked members of the Koshi provincial assembly who can garner a vote of confidence in the assembly to stake claim for the chief ministerial position by 5pm on Friday in accordance with article 168(5) of the constitution.

The move came following the resignation of Hikmat Kumar Karki ahead of voting on a trust motion scheduled at the provincial assembly.

UML provincial assembly leader Karki, who was appointed chief minister as per Article 168 (3) of the constitution on September 8 following a Supreme Court’s order had to secure a vote of confidence within Saturday as per the constitutional provision.

Appointment of a chief minister in accordance with Article 168(5) and securing a trust vote within 30 days after the appointment becomes crucial because failure to do so will lead the province to mid-term polls. The assembly has already exercised all the options to appoint a chief minister since the election last year.