Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader in Lumbini Province Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary has staked claim for the post of chief minister in the province today. As per the Article 168 (2) of the Constitution, Chaudhary laid his claim for the chief ministership before Lumbini Province Chief Amik Sherchan. Province Chief Sherchan on Tuesday had called on parties for the formation of a new government after the Chief Minister of CPN-UML-led government Leela Giri, failed to secure a vote of confidence in a proposal presented by him at the Province Assembly meeting on Monday.

The Province Chief had asked the provincial members and parties to show a majority to stake their claim for the post of the Chief Minister and form a government with the support of two or more than two political parties within 4:00 pm today.

With the signatures of 53 members of the provincial assembly-- eight political parties and one independent lawmaker, Chaudhary presented a claim for the same. He has the support of CPN (Maoist Centre), Janata Samajbadi Party, Democratic Socialist Party, nagarik Unmukti Party, Janamat Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and CPN (Unified Socialist). Of the 87-member Lumbini Province Assembly, CPN-UML has 29 members, Nepali Congress 27 and CPN (Maoist Centre) 11. Similarly, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party have four lawmakers each, Janamat Party, Janata Samajbadi Party and Loktantrik Samajbadi Party have three lawmakers each and Rastriya Janamorcha and CPN (Unified Socialist) have one lawmaker each and one independent lawmaker.