Khagraj Bhatta sworn in as Sudurpaschim chief minister

Khagraj Bhatta, leader of the Nepali Communist Party's parliamentary group, took office as the chief minister of Sudurpaschim Province on Friday. Province chief Nazir Miya administered the oath of office, marking the establishment of a new provincial government.

The new administration is backed by the CPN-UML party, which has secured four cabinet positions. Santosh Kumari Thapa Sharma is the new social development minister, Chakra Malla holds the finance portfolio, Daman Bhandari is minister for land management, agriculture and cooperatives, and Janaki Air Bom serves as minister of state for finance. The final ministerial appointments from Bhatta's own party are still pending.

Bhatta's predecessor, Kamal Bahadur Shah, resigned Thursday after his government lost a majority in the provincial assembly. The CPN-UML withdrew its support for Shah on July 15, leaving his administration in a minority. Shah had previously been appointed chief minister for a second term on August 4, 2024.

This political shift in Sudurpaschim aligns with a broader power-sharing agreement between CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepal Communist Party coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal, reached on July 25. The agreement outlines the distribution of power across various provinces.