Himal Press 
Province Chief Amik Sherchan (right) administers the oath of office and secrecy to Chief Minister Jokh Bahadur Mahara. (Photo: RSS)
LUMBINI: Jokh Bahadur Mahara, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, assumed office on Sunday.
Province Chef Amik Sherchan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mahara amid a ceremony on Sunday, as per Article 172 of the Constitution of Nepal, 25.
Mahara was appointed to the position on Friday as per Article 168 (2) of the constitution. The parliamentary party leader of CPN (Maoist Center) in the Lumbini Province Assembly has the backing of CPN-UML and other fringe parties as well as an independent member.
He replaces Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary of Nepali Congress who tendered his resignation following the withdrawal of support by the Maoist Center.
Mahara has formed a small cabinet comprising Chet Narayan Acharya of UML, Dipendra Bahadur Pun of the Maoist Center, and Bhandari Lal Ahir of the Janata Samajbadi Party. They have not been given portfolios yet.
The newly-appointed ministers were also sworn in on Sunday.
