DHANGADHI: Newly appointed Sudurpashchim Province Chief Minister Khaga Raj Bhatta took the oath of office and secrecy on Friday.
Province Head Najir Miya administered the oath to Bhatta after appointing him chief minister earlier in the day.
With the support of the CPN (UML), Bhatta had submitted his claim for the post to Province Head Miya on Friday morning. Miya appointed him immediately after the claim was submitted.
Miya had invited members of the Provincial Assembly on Thursday evening to submit claims for chief minister under Article 168 (2) of the Constitution, requiring the support of two or more parties to command a majority.
Bhatta, the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) parliamentary party leader in the Provincial Assembly, secured the post under a three-point agreement between the CPN (UML) and NCP.
Earlier, Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Kamal Bahadur Shah had resigned as chief minister on Thursday.
