Unified Socialist PP leader Pandey appointed Bagmati Chief Minister

KATHMANDU: CPN-Unified Socialist Bagmati Province parliamentary party (PP) leader Rajendra Pandey has been appointed as the Chief Minister.

Bagmati Province Chief Yadav Chandra Sharma appointed Pandey as the Chief Minister Thursday.

Pandey had staked claim to the post of the Chief Minister with the signatures of the majority of provincial assembly members as invited by the Governor Sharma on Wednesday following CM Asta Laxmi Shakya’s resignation.

Chief Minister Pandey is set to take oath of office at the Province Chief’s Office in Hetauda at 3:30 pm.

In the first phase of the power sharing, along with Chief Minister Pandey, Maoist Center Deputy PP Leader Kumari Moktan, Nepali Congress (NC) Deputy PP leader Krishnalal Bhadel and Unified Socialist’s Deputy PP leader Krishna Khanal are preparing to take oath as Ministers.

According to sources, Maoist Center is likely to get the Ministry of Social Development, the NC the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Unified Socialist the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Planning.

Chief Minister Shakya was in the minority after the UML split and 13 UML lawmakers joined the Unified Socialist in the province.

Chief Minister Shakya became the first woman Chief Minister of Nepal on August 18 with a single majority of 56 lawmakers. She was ousted from power on the 71st day of her tenure as chief minister.