DHANGADHI: Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development of Sudurpaschim Province Pathan Singh Bohara has been sacked.

Minister Bohara, who is close to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli led faction of the now divided Nepal Communist Party (NCP), was relieved of his ministerial portfolio by Chief Minister Trilochan Bhatta.

According to the CM's chief personal secretary Shiva Singh Oli, the physical infrastructure minister was removed from his ministerial berth on Tuesday. Chief Minister Bhatta, on the other hand, is close to the other NCP faction led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.

It has been learnt that CM Bhatta is now preparing to fill the vacant top post of the ministry by someone close to his own faction.

Furthermore, as per sources close to the chief minister, the CM has resorted to replacing ministers from the Oli-faction by those from Dahal-Nepal faction after sensing disatisfaction in his own cabinet which could risk the position of CM himself.

The ruling NCP went through a split on December 22 after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli recommended the dissolution of House of Representatives on December 20, which was promptly approved by President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

This has created much confusion not only within the rival factions of the ruling party but also among other political parties and the general public.