The Nepali Congress on Thursday instructed its lawmakers to vote against Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in a floor test scheduled for Friday.

Ramesh Lekhak, the party’s chief whip, issued a notice asking Congress lawmakers to mandatorily be present and vote against the motion to be tabled by the prime minister seeking the confidence of the House of Representatives.

Dahal chose to go for the floor test in accordance with the article 100(2) of the constitution which says “if the political party which the prime minister represents is divided or a political party in coalition government withdraws its support, the prime minister shall table a motion in the House of Representatives for a vote of confidence within thirty days.”

The CPN-UML withdrew its support to the government on Wednesday after it ditched its coalition with the CPN (Maoist Centre) and joined hands with the Nepali Congress to form a new government.

The Ashok Rai-led Janata Samajbadi Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party also withdrew their support to the government.

It will be Dahal’s fifth floor test after being appointed prime minister on December 25, 2022, due to frequent changes in the coalition. The prime minister is almost certain to lose the trust vote this time, as the CPN-UML, which was the largest party in the coalition, has withdrawn its support to the government.

On Wednesday, the UML directed its lawmakers to vote against the prime minister during the floor test.

The prime minister had gone for the fourth floor test on May 20 after the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal withdrew its support to the government following a split on May 5. Dahal received 157 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives. One member abstained, while none voted against the motion.

Meanwhile, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party decided not to support Prime Minister Dahal in the floor test.