KATHMANDU, APRIL 18

Dirgha Bahadur Sodari of CPN (Unified Socialist) has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province.

Province Chief Najir Miya appointed Sodari to the post on Thursday in accordance with Article 168(2) of the Constitution. Sodari serves as the parliamentary party leader of the CPN (US) in the Sudurpashim Province Assembly (PA).

He garnered support from CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (UML), Nagarik Unmukti Party (not all, but those believed to be in the camp of party Chair Ranjita Shrestha Chaudhary), and independent PA member Dr. Tara Joshi to qualify for the appointment to the CM post. Sodari had presented his claim for the appointment to the post on Thursday itself.

On April 5, the Province Chief called upon political parties to stake their claim for the Chief Minister post within ten days. Laxman Kishor Chaudhary and Kailash Chaudhary of the Nagarik Unmukti presented their claims on April 14, seeking the appointment as Chief Minister.

Finding both claims unconvincing, the Province Chief on April 16 issued a fresh call to political parties to approach him constitutionally for the appointment of the Chief Minister by Thursday (April 18).

The division within the Nagarik Unmutki in the Province Assembly proved decisive in forming a new government under the leadership of the Unified Socialist, which holds four members in the 53-member PA.

However, the party's PA member Ghanashyam Chaudhary, who is said to be close to the Resham Chaudhary faction, met with the Province Chief on Thursday to express concern over the claim presented by Sodari. As Chaudhary informed the Province Chief, the party officially does not support the CPN (US) for the Chief Minister position.

The intra-party conflict within Nagariki Unmukti, the fourth-largest party in Sudurpashsim, shows no sign of resolution. The Ranjita Shrestha faction favors aligning with the central alliance, while those close to the party founder Resham Lal Chaudhary are inclined towards siding with the Nepali Congress.

In the 53-member PA, the NC is the largest with 18 members, followed by 10 from CPN (Maoist Centre) excluding the Speaker, seven from Nagarik Unmukti, four from Unified Socialist, one from Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and one independent.

A by-election for the vacant post (Bajhang-A) is scheduled for April 27. The support of 27 PA members is required to qualify for appointment as Chief Minister.