CPN (UML) Parliamentary Party leader Khaga Raj Adhikari has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Gandaki Province for the second time.
Gandaki Province Chief Dilli Raj Bhatta on Sunday appointed Adhikari to the post of the Chief Minister after the latter submitted a claim with the support of more than two parties in accordance with Article 168 (2) of the Constitution. He is taking the oath at 3 pm today.
Adhikari staked a claim for the post with the support of 31 lawmakers including 22 from UML, eight from Maoist Center and one independent lawmaker (Rajiv Gurung) to the Province Chief this morning.
On the other hand, outgoing Chief Minister Surendra Pandey, who is also the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader of Gandaki Province, had objected to the appointment of Adhikari as the Chief Minister.
A team of Congress lawmakers led by Pandey had submitted a memorandum stating that the claim submitted by Adhikari is unconstitutional as it includes speaker Krishna Prasad Dhital.
However, Province Chief Bhatta had already appointed Adhikari as the Chief Minister of the province by that time.
