Uddhav Thapa appointed Koshi chief minister again

Setopati

Kathmandu, Aug 1

Uddhav Thapa of Nepali Congress has become chief minister of Koshi province for a second time in less than a month.

Province chief Parshuram Khapung appointed Thapa as the province’s new chief minister on Tuesday.

Thapa had staked claim for the post of chief minister with the support of 29 lawmakers from Nepali Congress, 13 from CPN (Maoist Center), four from CPN (Unified Socialist) and one from Janata Samajwadi Party.

Thapa had earlier been removed after just 22 days in office after the Supreme Court on July 27 revoked his previous appointment as chief minister deeming formation of the government headed by him unconstitutional.

Speaker of Koshi provincial assembly Baburam Gautam had also signed to support Thapa’s claim for the post of chief minister then.

As Gautam is now a Maoist Center parliamentary party member following his resignation as speaker earlier on Tuesday, the coalition has 47 lawmakers required to form a majority government.