Eight ministers from the CPN-UML tendered their resignation en masse to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Wednesday evening.

According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, CPN-UML ministers serving in the cabinet have submitted their resignation to Prime Minister Prachanda.

The CPN-UML ministers submitted their resignation, after the party’s decision to withdraw its support given to the government led by Prime Minister Prachanda.

The UML had eight ministers in the government under the leadership of the party secretary Raghubir Mahaseth.

Those who resigned were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure Mahaseth, Padam Giri Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Hari Upreti Minister for Defense, Bhagbati Chaudhary Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Rajendra Rai Minister for Drinking Water, Damodar Bhandari Minister for Industry and Commerce, Jwala Kumar Sah, Minister for Agriculture and Balaram Adhikari Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.

A party secretariat meeting held on Wednesday afternoon decided to withdraw its support to the government to form a national consensus government, said UML Chief Whip Mahesh Kumar Bartaula.

The party took the decision after Prime Minister Prachanda refused to resign from the post despite the formation of a new coalition between the UML and Nepali Congress.

The decision came a day after the NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli finalised an agreement on Monday midnight to form a new consensus government to replace the ruling collation.

The meeting also urged Prime Minister Prachanda to pave the way for formation of new government, said Bartaula.

The UML is scheduled to submit the application for withdrawing support from the government at the Parliament Secretariat on Thursday.

After withdrawal of support by the UML, the Prachanda-led government has fallen into minority.

There is a provision that the Prime Minister should seek a vote of confidence within 30 days if any party participating in the government withdraws its support.