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Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Uddhav Thapa has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Koshi Province.

Province Chief Parshuram Khapung appointed Thapa as the Chief Minister on Tuesday.

NC’s Thapa presented his claim for the post of Chief Minister before province chief with the support of the majority members compelling Speaker Gautam to resign.

Earlier on July 6, 2023, Thapa had become the Chief Minister with the support of 46 lawmakers of Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist) and Janata Samajbadi Party and Speaker Gautam.

Thapa was removed from the post of Chief Minister after the Supreme Court issued the verdict saying that the government in Koshi Province was formed in an unconstitutional way.

He was appointed as the Chief Minister with the support of 47 lawmakers—29 of Nepali Congress, 13 of CPN (Maoist Center) including the Speaker, four of CPN (Unified Socialist) and one of Janata Samajbadi Party.

 Meanwhile, Thapa will be sworn in as the Chief Minister on Wednesday.

Koshi Province Speaker Baburam Gautam resigned from his post on Tuesday.

Gautam resigned this afternoon by addressing Deputy Speaker Srijana Danuwar.

Gopal Parajuli, Secretary at the Province Assembly Secretariat, said that the resignation of Gautam has been received.

Gautam was elected as the Speaker of the Koshi Province on December 17, 2022.

He is a Province Assembly member elected from the CPN (Maoist Center).

Gautam, who was in Kathmandu for the past few days, tendered his resignation soon after he reached Biratnagar.

The main opposition CPN-UML has decided not to backtrack from its stance of forming a high-level probe commission to inquest the recent gold smuggling case.

During a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee held before Parliament meeting on Tuesday, the UML said that it would let the House proceed with its business only if the probe commission is formed.

The ruling coalition parties’ lawmakers, however, said that there is no need for a high-level probe commission.

They opined that the UML’s demand cannot be fulfilled.

The UML is preparing to propose the formation of a commission to investigate the gold smuggling case in the Parliament meeting.

After the ruling parties disagreed with the stance of the main opposition UML, Speaker Devraj Ghimire postponed the meeting scheduled for Monday to Tuesday afternoon.

The main opposition UML had obstructed the Parliament meeting on Wednesday demanding the formation of a high-level probe commission to investigate the 100 kg gold smuggling case.

In the meeting, the UML lawmakers demanded a ruling to form a high-level probe commission, accusing the government ministers of being involved in the gold smuggling.

The UML lawmakers stood from their seats and picketed the well after the Speaker tried to take the proceedings of the zero hour ahead.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Rajendra Lingden urged the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML to form a government together in Koshi Province.

Speaking to journalists at the Biratnagar Airport on Tuesday, he said that the RPP will be decisive only when the Nepali Congress and the UML sit separately in Koshi Province.

He suggested that it would be appropriate for the Congress and the UML to operate the government together in the province.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Lingden said that the RPP will stay neutral in the case of government formation.

The RPP will be decisive only if Article 168 (5) of the Constitution is adopted.

Lingden said that it would not be appropriate to seek the resignation of the Speaker to form the government.