Sudurpaschim Province Government Sees Frequent Changes in Chief Ministers and Ministers

Dhangadhi. There is no clear majority for any party in the Sudurpaschim Provincial Assembly, hence governments are formed here from time to time. While the second term of the provincial government is ongoing, three chief ministers have been changed so far, and 33 people have already become ministers. The province has decreased from 53 to currently 52 members in the Provincial Assembly. Independent MP Dr. Taraprasad Joshi, elected from Dadeldhura, resigned and was elected to the House of Representatives. Similarly, Nepali Communist Party leader and former Chief Minister Dirgha Sodari is currently suspended. The Provincial Assembly currently has a coalition government of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. The government is led by Kamal Bahadur Shah of Nepali Congress. All parties except Rastriya Prajatantra Party, which has a presence in the Sudurpaschim Provincial Assembly, have participated in the government. Currently, in the Provincial Assembly, 17 people from this coalition of UML with 29 MPs and Congress are getting the opportunity to become ministers. When Sodari was Chief Minister, the number of ministers from this group was high. Leaders like Khagaraj Bhatta, Akkald Bahadur Rawal, Om Bikram Bhat, Kailash Chaudhary, Khushiram Dagaura, Ghanshyam Chaudhary, Ramesh Singh Dhami, Rameshwar Chaudhary, and Laxman Kishore Chaudhary had the opportunity to hold ministries. Similarly, Laxmi BK, Maya Pant, Naresh Kumar Shahi, Jhapta Bahadur Saud, and Tika Thapa also became ministers. Indira Giri and Geetadevi Mal received the responsibility of State Minister. Bhim Bahadur Bhandari is the Speaker, while Prakash Rawal, Shivasingh Oli, Janakidevi Kunwar, and Manbahadur Dhami have not received ministerial positions in this term so far. In the Sudurpaschim Provincial Assembly, there are 18 MPs from Nepali Congress. Among them, 13, including Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah, have become ministers. Those becoming ministers from Congress include Bahadur Singh Thapa, Prakash Bahadur Deuba, Meghraj Khadka, Shivraj Bhatta, Bikram Singh Dhami, Manbahadur Rawal, and Bel Bahadur Rana Magar. Similarly, those becoming State Ministers include Prakash Bahadur Bam, Saraswati Khadka, Madhudevi Bharti, and Junakumari Dani. Prithivi Bahadur Singh of Bajhang died in a road accident while he was a minister. Among the 6 remaining to become ministers from Congress are Diwansingh Bist, Padam Bahadur Shahi, Gita Chaudhary, Lalita Sunar, Tulsi Devkota, and Dammari Mahara. So far, 6 out of 11 MPs from UML in the Sudurpaschim government have received ministerial positions. Currently, Surendra Bahadur Pal, Hirasinh Sarki, and Birbahadur Thapa are ministers, while Nirmaladevi Saud is a State Minister. Santosh Kumari Sharma Thapa served as a minister without portfolio for one month. Koilidevi Chaudhary from UML is the Deputy Speaker. Dharmaraj Pathak, Chakrabahadur Mall, Damanbahadur Bhandari, and Janaki Air Bom have not been included in the list of ministers so far.