The Nagarik Unmukti Party has decided to support the provincial government led by Nepali Congress lawmaker Kamal Bahadur Shah in the Sudurpaschim Province.

The provincial assembly party meeting of the Nagarik Unmukti Party on Sunday decided to continue its support to the Shah-led government despite a change in the federal coalition. “Though the party’s central leadership voted for Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal during the floor test on March 14, we here in Sudurpaschim decided to take a different decision based on the local reality,” said Ghanashyam Chaudhary, the assembly leader of the Nagarik Unmukti Party. He is also the Minister for Financial Affairs in the provincial Cabinet.

The Nagarik Unmukti Party, which was established in 2022 and emerged as a new political force during the elections held in the same year, has four members in the House of Representatives and seven in the Sudurpaschim provincial assembly.

During the party’s provincial assembly party meeting, two of its members—Kailash Chaudhary and Tika Thapa—however remained absent. Kailash is against joining the present provincial Cabinet and asserts that he will not vote for the Shah-led government.

Ghanashyam Chaudhary, however, claimed that the party’s assembly members would not go against the party’s official decision. According to him, efforts are on to forge consensus with Kailash Chaudhary and appoint him as a minister.

Out of the seven assembly members of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, five are ministers in the provincial government.

The party is sharply divided over whether to support the provincial government. Party chief Ranjita Shrestha is against supporting the Shah-led government in Sudurpaschim while her husband and patron of the party is in favour supporting the provincial government.

There is still doubt whether all seven members of the Nagarik Unmukti Party will support the government or not. Chief Minister Shah needs support of at least two more assembly members even after securing the support of all the seven members of the party.

In the 53-member assembly, the Congress has 18 members, the Unified Socialist three, and there is one independent lawmaker, while the CPN-UML has nine, the Maoist Centre 10, the Nagarik Unmukti Party seven, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has one lawmaker.

The Shah-led government fell into minority after the CPN (Maoist Centre) and CPN (Unified Socialist) withdrew their support after they formed a federal coalition with the CPN-UML among other parties in Kathmandu.

On March 11, Chief Minister Shah expanded the Cabinet in a bid to safeguard his government. Shah has been rallying desperately for the support of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and independent member Tara Prasad Joshi.

It is speculated that two provincial assembly members of the Nagarik Unmukti Party may not support the Congress-led Sudurpaschim government. Ghanashyam Chaudhary warned of taking action if anyone goes against the party’s decision.

“We are continuously in contact with Kailash Chaudhary. There is no such problem as rumoured outside. All the members will respect the party’s decision or else they will face action,” he warned.

Kailash Chaudhary, however, said that he disagrees with the party’s decision to support the provincial government. “I am now in Kathmandu for medical treatment. My position is clear: party responsibility should be assigned on the basis of seniority. Laxman Kishor Chaudhary should be appointed as the leader of the provincial party in the assembly. Otherwise I will not abide by the party’s whip,” said Kailash. He, however, said that he has not spoken to party chief Shrestha regarding his differences.

Chairperson of the Nagarik Unmukti Party Shrestha and party patron Resham Lal Chaudhary have publicly announced their differing stances regarding giving support to the federal government and provincial governments, particularly in Sudurpaschim. Shrestha decided to vote for Prime Minister Dahal during the trust vote.

Last week, Resham Lal held a meeting, which was attended by two-thirds of the party’s central committee members in Tikapur of Kailali district. The meeting had decided not to support the provincial government and instead to remain in the opposition.

This leaves the differences intact, contributing to political uncertainty.