CPN-UML, the biggest party in the current ruling coalition, has decided to leave the government while withdrawing its support to the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government.

A secretariat meeting held on Monday at the party’s central office took the decision to this effect, three days after Prime Minister Dahal ditched the alliance.

In the rise of a changed political equation for the presidential election, PM Dahal’s Maoist party is said to support the Nepali Congress candidate.

Nepali Congress leader Ramchandra Paudel, 78, and CPN-UML leader Subas Chandra Nembang, 70, have filed their candidacies for the presidential election scheduled for March 9.

Earlier during the nomination of a presidential candidacy, CPN-UML had announced they would stay in the government until March 9.

However, after PM Dahal stopped Foreign Minister Bimala Rai Paudyal, who is a member of CPN-UML, from going to Geneva on Sunday, UML decided to quit the government immediately.

Foreign Minister Paudyal was scheduled to fly to Geneva to take part in the 52^nd Human Rights Council conference to be held from February 27 to April 4.