CPN lawmaker Yogesh Bhattarai has been appointed minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation on Wednesday.
Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has appointed him at the vacant ministry, according to a Baluwatar source.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered oath of office and secrecy to Bhattarai amidst a program at the former's office in the afternoon.
The position was vacant since the then minister Rabindra Adhikari was killed in a helicopter crash in Taplejung on February 27.
This is the first taste of ministerial appointment for Bhattarai who was born in Taplejung on September 6, 1966. Oli had promised the people of Taplejung that he will make Bhattarai a minister if they get him elected to the House of Representatives (HoR). But Oli did not keep his promise after Bhattarai registered maiden parliamentary victory.
Bhttarai, who initially used to criticize controversial decisions of the government, had become a bit restrained in recent times.
Having started politics in 1980 through the student wing of communist party, he became president of the then student wing of CPN-UML 15 years later.
He became president of the student wing of the then CPN-ML after the split in UML three years later. Adhikari ironically was his general secretary then.
But his allegiance to senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal meant Adhikari, who was close to Bam Dev Gautam who in turn supported Oli, became minister before him.
