Three UML members in Karnali Assembly side with CPN (Unified Socialist)

KARNALI, September 1: Three CPN (UML) members in the Karnali Province Assembly have sided with the CPN (Unified Socialist) that was formed recently after splitting from the CPN (UML).  Chandra Bahadur Shahi, Devi Oli and Padma Rokaya have decided to be with the newly formed party chaired by Madhav Kumar Nepal. They were physically present today at the Province Election Office to verify their decision  to join the Unified Socialist, according to Province Election Officer Durga Prasad Chalise.   With this, now the CPN (UML) has 13 members in the Province Assembly followed by 12 of the CPN (Maoist Centre), six of the Nepali Congress, three of the Unified Socialist and one of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).  Earlier, 20 members including the Speaker represented the CPN (UML) in the Karnali and the number was reduced to 16 with four members Prakash Jwala, Ambar Bahadur Thapa, Kurma Raj Shahi and Nanda Singh Dhami being relieved by the party on the charge of violating the party whip. The Election Office has set September 7 as the deadline for choosing a party to the  Province and local level representatives in accordance with the Ordinance relating to the Political Parties issued by the government recently.  However, no local representatives have yet reached the Election Office to change their association of the political party.  Shahi represents Mugu in the Province Assembly while Oli is from the Rukum West and Rokaya is the directly elected member from Jumla.