Kedar Karki has been sworn in as the new chief minister of Koshi province.
Province Chief Parshuram Khapung administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly-appointed chief minister Karki amid a ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
Similarly, Ram Bahadur Rana Magar of CPN-UML and Shamsher Rai of Nepali Congress (NC) took oath as ministers without portfolio.
Rana Magar is the deputy leader of UML parliamentary party in Koshi. Rai had supported Karki for chief minister.
UML had put pressure on Chief Minister Karki to administer oath to two ministers from the party, while Karki had been preparing to administer oath to two ministers from NC as well.
But only two ministers were appointed on Sunday as UML and Chief Minister Karki could not reach an agreement.
Talking to journalists after taking oath on Sunday, Chief Minister Karki said that a consensus government would be formed in Koshi.
“Possibility of mid-term in Koshi has been averted. The provincial assembly will not be dissolved,” he said. “A consensus government will be formed now.”
Karki added that the crisis seen in the province had also been resolved after formation of the government under his leadership.
Province Chief Khapung had appointed Karki chief minister on Saturday morning as per Article 168 (5) of the Constitution after completing verification of signatures of 47 lawmakers. Khapung had invited lawmakers for signature verification after both Karki and Indra Angbo of CPN (Maoist Center) submitted signatures of majority of lawmakers.
Karki, who is close to leader Shekhar Koirala, had staked claim for chief minister submitting signatures of 47 lawmakers including eight NC lawmakers (including himself) and 39 CPN-UML lawmakers to Province Chief Khapung on Thursday going against the center’s decision to support Angbo as the coalition candidate.
