Jokh Bahadur Mahara appointed Lumbini chief minister

Bhagawati Pandey

Butwal, April 5

Jokh Bahadur Mahara of CPN (Maoist Center) has been appointed as the fifth chief minister of Lumbini province.

Lumbini Province Chief Amik Sherchan appointed Mahara to the post according to Article 168 (2) of the Constitution on Friday.

Issuing a statement, spokesperson for the Province Chief’s Office Bhumishwar Dhakal said that Province Chief Sherchan appointed Mahara chief minister as he had presented his claim with signatures of 48 provincial assembly members.

Mahara was supported by 43 lawmakers from the ruling coalition – 29 from CPN-UML, 10 from Maoist Center, three from Janata Samajwadi Party, one from CPN (Unified Socialist) – and one independent lawmaker. Four lawmakers from Nagarik Unmukti Party also submitted their signatures to the province chief supporting Mahara later.

There are 87 lawmakers in the Lumbini provincial assembly.

The process for government formation according to Article 168 (2) of the Constitution had begun after Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary of Nepali Congress resigned as chief minister on Thursday.