Gandaki and Province 1 chief ministers secured a vote of confidence on Friday.

Province 1 chief minister Hikmat Kumar Karki passed the floor test by securing 59 votes in the 93-member provincial assembly.

Provincial assembly members of the CPN-UML, the CPN (Maoist Centre), the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the Janata Samajbadi Party voted in favour of the trust motion tabled by the chief minister. A total of 32 members from the Nepali Congress and the CPN (Unified Socialist) voted against the confidence motion. Congress provincial assembly member Pradeep Kumar Sunuwar abstained.

Province head Parashuram Khapung on January 8 had appointed Karki as the chief minister of the province as per Article 168 (2) of the constitution after he laid claim to the post with the support of 60 members.

Likewise, Gandaki chief minister Khaga Raj Adhikari won the vote of confidence motion he tabled at the provincial assembly.

The chief minister received 31 votes while 27 votes were cast against the motion. A total of 58 lawmakers were present in today’s meeting of the 60-member assembly.

Province head Prithvi Man Gurung on January 9 had appointed Adhikari as the chief minister after he laid claim to the post with the support of 33 members of the 60-member provincial assembly.

As per the constitutional provision, a chief minister appointed under Article 168(2) needs to secure a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly within 30 days of the appointment.