With the presidential election only nine days away and the parties in the newly revived coalition focused on the poll, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal could delay the vote of confidence in Parliament.

Government spokesperson Rekha Sharma said Dahal will seek a vote of confidence and reshuffle his Cabinet only after the presidential polls.

After the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) decided to back the Nepali Congress candidate for President, coalition partner CPN-UML pulled out of the government and withdrew its support to the prime minister. Earlier, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party had also quit the government.

“The constitutional and legal provision for the prime minister to seek a vote of confidence will be followed within the given timeframe,” Sharma said at the press meeting organised to disclose Cabinet decisions on Tuesday. “But we are currently focused on the presidential elections.”

With the Election Commission issuing an election code of conduct with effect from Wednesday until March 19, the Cabinet can only be reshuffled after that.

Eight ministers of UML, the second largest party, tendered their resignation on Monday. As per the constitutional provision, the prime minister needs to seek a vote of confidence within 30 days if a party withdraws its support to the government.

Article 100(2) of the constitution states that if the political party which the prime minister represents is divided or a party in the coalition government withdraws its support, the prime minister shall table a motion in the House of Representatives for a vote of confidence within 30 days.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party withdrew its support to the government on Saturday. The Rastriya Swatantra Party, which had quit the government in the first week of this month, has decided not to withdraw its support and hinted at re-joining the ruling coalition. Having 19 lawmakers in the House, the RSP has also decided to allow its lawmakers to use their own judgement in the presidential vote.

Though some leaders had said the coalition could discuss and form a small Cabinet with one or two ministers from partner parties, that now wouldn’t be possible due to the election code.

Minister for Communication and Information Technology Sharma said the ruling coalition was yet to discuss the issue of Cabinet expansion with the partners of the new coalition. “Cabinet reshuffle will happen only after ascertaining which parties are joining the government,” Sharma told journalists.

Prime Minister Dahal cancelled his Qatar visit given the pressure on him to seek a vote of confidence and the impending elections of the President and the Vice President.

The Election Commission has scheduled the presidential election on March 9 while the election of the Vice President will be held on March 17.

Unlike the expectations of some leaders of the ruling coalition who are in a hurry to join the government, there was no meeting of the new coalition on Tuesday.