Lumbini Province: New CM and Ministers sworn in

LUMBINI: Jokh Bahadur Mahara, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, officially took the oath of office and secrecy today.

In accordance with Article 172 of the constitution, he solemnly pledged his commitment before Province Chief Amik Sherchan at a ceremony held at the Butwal-based Office of the Province Chief.

Mahara's ascension to the position comes as he was appointed by the Province Chief under the provisions of Article 168(2) of the constitution.

He succeeds Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, who resigned from the post on April 4. Mahara becomes the fifth Chief Minister of Lumbini Province.

On April 5, Mahara submitted his claim for the Chief Minister position, backed by 48 PA members, comprising representatives from five political parties and one independent.

Born on October 18, 1963, in Sunil Smriti rural municipality-5 in Rolpa to Ramita Mahara and Khal Bahadur Mahara, he also serves as a standing committee member of the CPN (Maoist Centre) and represents the Rolpa constituency-1(A) in the Lumbini Provincial Assembly.

Previously, he held the position of Minister for Economic Affairs in the government led by UML's parliamentary leader for the province, Lila Giri.

In tandem with assuming office, the Chief Minister swiftly constituted a mini Council of Ministers.

The new ministers, Chet Narayan Acharya from CPN (UML), Dipendra Bahadur Pun from CPN (Maoist Centre), and Bhandari Lal Ahir from Janata Samajbadi Party, were sworn in without portfolio.

The oath-taking ceremony for the newly appointed ministers also took place today.