Khagaraj Adhikari has been appointed chief minister of Gandaki province.
Gandaki Province Chief Dilli Raj Bhatta appointed Adhikari to the post according to Article 168 (2) of the Constitution on Sunday afternoon.
Earlier on Sunday, Adhikari had staked claim for the post of chief minister with the support lawmakers from UML and CPN (Maoist Center) and independent lawmaker Rajeev Gurung.
In the meantime, Nepali Congress had written to Province Chief Bhatta requesting him not to appoint the chief minister in an unconstitutional manner. It had protested that Adhikari had showed majority by including the speaker's signature too.
The 60-seat Gandaki Provincial Assembly has 27 lawmakers from NC, 22 from UML, 8 from Maoist Center, 2 from Rastriya Prajatantra Party and one independent lawmaker.
NC had requested the province chief to authenticate support of each lawmaker pointing that the claim presented by UML and Maoist Center to make Adhikari chief minister contained only signatures of parliamentary party leaders.
The Supreme Court (SC) has already set a precedent prohibiting support by the speaker to form a new government. The apex court on July 27, 2023, had revoked appointment of Uddhav Thapa of Nepali Congress as Koshi's chief minister ruling that signing by the speaker to form the government was unconstitutional.
