The Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP) has formally withdrawn its support from Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s coalition government, imposing a constitutional obligation on the prime minister to face a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives within 30 days.

Party chair Ranjita Shrestha on Sunday handed over an official letter to Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire, confirming the withdrawal of the party’s confidence in the government. She also informed that she would be meeting Prime Minister Oli later in the evening upon his return from Humla, where he is attending a bridge inauguration event.

This development follows mounting tensions between the party and its coalition partners, particularly in Sudurpaschim Province, where the NUP exited the provincial government after its minister, Rameshwor Chaudhary, was removed by Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah of the Nepali Congress.

State Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Arun Kumar Chaudhary has already resigned from the federal government, further signalling the party’s complete disengagement from power.

The Nagarik Unmukti Party, which holds four seats in the federal lower house, was previously involved in the federal government with one state minister and was a part of provincial governments in Sudurpaschim, Lumbini, and Madhesh. Its departure from both federal and provincial levels comes shortly after the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N) also withdrew support, citing dissatisfaction with governance, economic performance, and the government’s failure to deliver on constitutional reforms.

Under Article 100(2) of the Constitution of Nepal, the prime minister must seek a vote of confidence if any party in the governing coalition withdraws its support. Though Prime Minister Oli’s CPN-UML and its coalition partner, the Nepali Congress, still hold a comfortable majority in the 275-member House of Representatives, the exit of two regional parties may complicate legislative proceedings, especially in the National Assembly, where the coalition lacks a majority.