The CPN (Unified Socialist) has decided not to vote in support of Bagmati Chief Minister Shalikram Jamkattel in the floor test scheduled for Monday.

A parliamentary party meeting of the Unified Socialist held on Sunday decided not to support Jamkattel of the CPN (Maoist Centre) under the current circumstances.

Krishna Sharma Khanal, the party provincial assembly leader, said they cannot support the chief minister as they were yet to reach agreement with other parties on power-sharing across all provinces and that they weren’t ensured of equal participation in the Bagmati government.

“We are not bound to accept every decision made by the Maoist Centre and UML. The vote of confidence needs to be taken not only in this province but also in other provinces. Therefore, we will not support the chief minister until a power-sharing agreement is reached,” said Khanal.

The UML holds 27 seats, the CPN (Maoist Centre) 21 seats, and the CPN (Unified Socialist) has seven seats in the 110-member provincial assembly.

The chief minister needs the support of 56 assembly members to get his motion of trust endorsed.

The Nepali Congress holds the highest number of seats with 37, followed by the Prajatantra Party with 13 seats, the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party with three seats and the Hamro Nepali Party with two seats.

Congress, Prajatantra Party and Workers and Peasants Party have already decided to vote against the chief minister. Hamro Nepali Party will stand in favour of the chief minister as it has recently joined the government.

Chief Minister Jamkattel needed to go for the floor test as the Nepali Congress withdrew its support to Jamkattel leaving the provincial government in minority.