Unified Socialist leader Dirgha Bahadur Sodari staked a claim for the post of Chief Minister of Sudurpashchim Province on Thursday. (Photo: Nepalkhabar)
CPN (Unified Socialist) Party leader Dirgha Bahadur Sodari is set to become the Chief Minister of Sudurpashchim Province with the backing of CPN (UML).
Sodari has staked a claim to the post of Chief Minister of the province with the support of 32 lawmakers including 10 from CPN (Maoist Center), 10 CPN (UML), 4 from Unified Socialist, 7 from Nagarik Unmukti Party and one independent lawmaker.
UML, which was earlier reluctant to support Sodari, gave in to its stance eventually and decided to support Sodari's nomination to keep the ruling coalition intact, leaders have said.
The support of 27 lawmakers is required to form the government in the 53-member Sudurpashchim Province Assembly.
NC has 18 lawmakers, Maoist Center (11) including the speaker, 10 from UML, 7 from NUP, one from Rastriya Prajatantra Party and one independent lawmaker in the 53-member Sudurpashchim Province Assembly. One seat remains vacant after Prithvi Bahadur Singh, a provincial assembly member representing Bajhang A, was killed in a road accident in June last year. The by-election is being held in the Bajhang (A) constituency on April 27.
