Nepal’s Koshi Province Sees Power Struggle as Oli Moves to Oust CM Karki

A power struggle has intensified in Nepal’s Koshi Province as CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli moves to oust Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki from the party’s parliamentary leadership.

Oli had initially agreed to let Karki continue as the chief minister, but he changed his stance after Karki sided with General Secretary Shankar Pokharel in the party’s internal restructuring and leadership transfer debate.

According to sources, Oli is dissatisfied with Karki’s decision and has tasked Party Secretary and Koshi Province In-charge Sherdhan Rai with initiating the process to replace Karki as the parliamentary party leader.

Rai met with Karki and conveyed Oli’s message, asking him to resign. However, Karki has refused to step down immediately, citing the need for a formal decision from the party’s secretariat.

Karki has also expressed concerns that his resignation could lead to a constitutional crisis and the possibility of the province going into mid-term polls.

Constitutional Hurdles

According to the CPN-UML’s parliamentary party statute, a no-confidence motion requires a two-thirds majority of the party’s parliamentary members to remove the leader.

In the 92-member Koshi Province Assembly, the CPN-UML has 40 members. To remove Karki, 27 signatures are required, but the party is currently divided between Karki’s faction and Oli’s faction.

CPN-UML Province Assembly member Rewati Raman Bhandari said that it would be challenging to secure the required majority to remove Karki as the parliamentary party leader.

Alternative Leadership

Oli has proposed Tilakumar Menyangbo, the CPN-UML’s deputy leader and Taplejung’s member of the province assembly, as an alternative to Karki.

Menyangbo has confirmed that he has had positive discussions with Oli and is preparing to take on the new role.

The ongoing talks in Biratnagar will determine whether Karki will be persuaded to resign or the party will opt for a two-thirds majority vote to remove him.

Karki has reiterated that he is willing to transfer power through a legitimate process, but a formal decision from the party’s secretariat and the parliamentary party is necessary.