Biratnagar, May 14 -- Koshi Chief Minister Hikmat Karki on Monday secured the confidence vote amid boycott of the provincial assembly meeting by the Nepali Congress.

A motion tabled by the chief minister seeking the confidence of the assembly received 57 votes in favour, while five lawmakers abstained from voting. The chief minister got support from 39 members of the CPN-UML, 13 of the CPN (Maoist Centre), three of the CPN (Unified Socialist) and a member of Janata Samajbadi Party. Rajendra Rai, the assembly leader of Unified Socialist, was absent as he was in Kathmandu for the party's central committee meeting.

The Unified Socialist was undecided whether to support Chief Minister Karki or not till Sunday evening. "The central leadershi...