Kiran Thapa Appointed Bagmati Chief Minister Amidst Coalition Support and Internal Party Dispute

Kiran Thapa has been appointed the new chief minister of Bagmati Province in Nepal, securing the position with the backing of three political parties: the CPN-UML, the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).

Bagmati Province Chief Dipak Prasad Devkota formally appointed Thapa on Thursday, acting under Article 168(2) of the Constitution. Thapa had presented his claim to form the provincial government the previous day, backed by 63 provincial lawmakers from the coalition parties. The Province Chief had invited eligible members to stake their claim by Thursday afternoon.

However, the RPP's decision to support Thapa's government has ignited an internal party dispute. The party's central leadership has reportedly rejected the provincial parliamentary party's move, stating it was made without central authorization. The RPP's central office had previously communicated to Province Chief Devkota that the party had not officially decided to support any specific political entity in the province.

Despite this internal conflict within the RPP, the Province Chief's Office proceeded with the announcement of Thapa's appointment and scheduled his swearing-in ceremony. Thapa becomes the seventh chief minister of Bagmati Province, marking another shift in the region's political leadership.