Gandaki, April 7: CPN (UML)’s parliamentary leader in the Gandaki Province Assembly, Khagaraj Adhikari, has been appointed the Chief Minister of the province. Province Chief Dilli Raj Bhatta appointed him on the post today in accordance with Article 168(2) of the Constitution.
Prior to this, he presented a claim for an appointment as the Chief Minister for the province before the Province Chief with the support of 31 PA members: 22 of the UML, eight from the CPN (Maoist Centre), and one independent.
In the 60-member Gandaki PA, the backing of at least 30 members is needed to be appointed as the Chief Minister. The post fell vacant with Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey tendering his resignation last Thursday with the calculation that he was not going to get a vote of confidence in the aftermath of the withdrawal of support by the CPN (Maoist Centre).
However, the Nepali Congress, the largest party in Gandaki with 27 members, expressed its concern over the appointment of the new Chief Minister. It has presented a letter to this regard to the Province Chief. As said by NC Chief Whip for the province, Nanda Prasad Neupane, it is not ethical to present the support of the Speaker for the formation of a new government.
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