Menyangbo, who is in Kathmandu, told Kantipur over the phone that the possibility of him becoming Chief Minister is very strong.
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With the formation of a new power equation between the CPN-UML and the Nepal Communist Party, UML parliamentary party deputy leader Tilak Kumar Menyangbo has become almost certain to be the Chief Minister of Koshi Province.
According to a high-level UML source, the central leadership is preparing to replace incumbent Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki and hand over the leadership to Menyangbo. Leaders have said that the final decision is likely to be made on Sunday itself.
According to the power-sharing agreement between the UML and the Nepal Communist Party, the UML will lead the governments of Koshi, Bagmati, and Lumbini provinces, while Karnali and Sudurpaschim have gone to the Nepal Communist Party. Along with this, preparations for the restructuring of the government in Koshi have also moved forward.
Speaking to Kantipur over the phone from Kathmandu, Menyangbo said that the possibility of him becoming Chief Minister is very strong. “It looks like my chances are very strong,” he said, “I am confident because the central leadership itself appears positive.”
According to a high-level UML source, Chairman KP Sharma Oli had prioritized the leadership change in Koshi. A provincial assembly member said that recently, the relationship between Oli and Chief Minister Karki has not been as smooth as expected, and this has influenced the leadership change. “Chairman Oli seems determined to replace Karki at any cost,” the assembly member claimed, “This time, it is certain that a new person will get the opportunity.”
Menyangbo, elected from Taplejung-1 (1), is the deputy leader of the provincial parliamentary party. In the first provincial government led by Karki, he held the responsibility of Minister for Drinking Water, Irrigation, and Energy. During the cabinet reshuffle, he also has experience of briefly handling the responsibility of the Health Ministry. In 1999, he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives from Taplejung and became active in national politics.
However, UML Koshi chief whip Ramesh Basnet has claimed that there has been no formal discussion on the Chief Minister issue in the provincial committee. “If the province decides, there is a possibility that Karki will be continued,” he said, “If the center decides, it looks like a new person will get the opportunity.”
