Sodari of CPN (Unified Socialist) appointed Sudurpashim Chief Minister; Government reshuffled in Madhesh and Lumbini

Sudurpashim / April 18: Dirgha Bahadur Sodari of CPN (Unified Socialist) has been appointed the Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province.

Province Chief Najir Miya appointed Sodari on the post on Thursday in accordance with Article 168 (2) of the Constitution. Sodari is the parliamentary party leader of the CPN (US) in the Sudurpashim Province Assembly (PA).

He secured the support of CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (UML), Nagarik Unmukti Party (not all but those believed to be in the camp of party Chair Ranjita Shrestha Chaudhary) and independent PA member Dr Tara Joshi to be eligible for the appointment to the CM post.

Sodari had presented his claim for the appointment to the post on Thursday itself.

On April 5, the Province Chief had called on political parties to stake their claim for the Chief Minister post by giving a time of ten days. Laxman Kishor Chaudhary and Kailash Chaudhary of the Nagarik Unmukti on April 14 presented their claims, seeking the appointment as the Chief Minister.

Finding both claims unconvincing, the Province Chief on April 16 made a fresh call on political parties to approach him constitutionally for the appointment of the Chief Minister till Thursday (April 18).

The division with the Nagarik Unmutki in the Province Assembly turned decisive in the formation of a new government under the leadership of the Unified Socialist having four members in the 53-member PA.

However, the party’s PA member Ghanashyam Chaudhary who is said to be close to Resham Chaudhary faction met with the Province Chief on Thursday itself to express concern over the claim presented by Sodari. As Chaudhary told the Province Chief, the party had officially no support the CPN (US) for the Chief Minister.

The intra-party conflict in the Nagariki Unmukti, the fourth largest party in the Sudurpashsim, shows no sign of normalcy.

The Ranjita Shrestha faction is for following the suit of the central alliance while those close to the party founder Resham Lal Chaudhary are inclined towards siding with the Nepali Congress.

In the 53-member PA, the NC is the largest one with 18 members followed by 10 of CPN (Maoist Centre) except the Speaker, seven of Nagarik Unmukti, four of Unified Socialist, one of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and one independent.

The by-election for the vacant post (Bajhang-A) is taking place on coming April 27. The support of 27 PA members is mandated to be eligible for getting appointed the Chief Minister.

Madhes Province cabinet expanded

Chief Minister of Madhes Province, Saroj Kumar Yadav, expanded Cabinet on Thursday.

After securing vote of confidence for fourth time as CM, Yadav inducted four members in the Cabinet.

The newly appointed ministers are- Bharat Prasad Saha, Minister without portfolio; Yubraj Bhattarai, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism; and Bechi Lungeli, Minister without portfolio. Similarly, Sharada Thapa has been appointed Minister of State for Communications and Law Ministry.

Shah and Bhattarai are from CPN (Maoist Centre), Lungeli from CPN (Unified Socialist), and Thapa from CPN UML

Province Chief Sumitra Subedi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed ministers.

CM Mahara expands cabinet in Lumbini Province

Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Jokh Bahadur Mahara has expanded his cabinet appointing four ministers from CPN (UML), one from Nagarik Unmukti Party and one independent province assembly member.

The ministries of the newly-appointed ministers are not confirmed as yet. Bhumishwor Dhakal, Ratna Bahadur Khatri, Arjun Kumar KC and Dinesh Panthi from UML, Dharma Bahadur Chaudhary from Nagarik Unmukti Party and independent province assembly Khadga Basnet are appointed the ministers, according to a letter issued from the Chief Minister’s Office.

With the expansion of the cabinet, the Lumbini Province Government has now 10 ministers.

Likewise, Chief Minister Mahara has assigned ministerial portfolios to Ministers Chet Narayan Acharya, Dipendra Kumar Pun Magar and Bhandarilal Ahir. RSS