Himal Press 
Chet Narayan Acharya presenting signatures of 56 province assembly members to Province Chief Amik Sherchan.
LUMBINI: Chet Narayan Acharya, the deputy leader of the CPN-UML parliamentary party in Lumbini Province Assembly, has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Lumbini Province.
Province Chief Amik Sherchan appointed Acharya to the position as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015, according to a press statement issued by the Office of the Province Chief.
Earlier, Acharya staked his claim to form government presenting the signatures of 56 members of the provincial assembly – 29 from UML and 27 from Nepali Congress (NC) – to Province Chief Sherchan. The support of 44 members is needed to form government in the 87-member province assembly.
UML’s parliamentary party leader Lila Giri was expected to stake his claim to form a new government after Jokh Bahadur Mahara tendered his resignation as Chief Minister on Sunday. However, Giri stepped back following the direction of the party. Giri did not accompany Acharya to the Office of the Province Chief.
Elected from the Arghakhanchi – 1(A) constituency of the Lumbini Province Assembly, Acharya previously served as the Minister for Internal Affairs and Law in the first provincial government led by Shankar Pokharel. He also served as the Minister for Rural Water Supply and Urban Development in the government led by Giri. He held the Economic Affairs and Planning portfolio in the government led by Jokh Bahadur Mahara of CPN (Maoist Center).
