Uddhav Thapa sworn in as Chief Minister of Koshi, appoints two ministers

ITAHARI: Uddhav Thapa, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Koshi Province, has assumed office.

Province Chief Parshuram Khapung administered the oath of office and secrecy to Thapa Friday morning. Thapa has appointed two members to his cabinet – Pradip Sunuwar of Nepali Congress and Kamal Jabegu of CPN (Unified Socialist). However, the duo has not yet been assigned any ministerial portfolios. The other coalition partners, CPN (Maoist Center) and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), have not yet nominated their ministers to the new government.

Speaking to reporters after assuming the province’s top post, Thapa said he has taken the new responsibility as a challenge and pledged to transform it into an opportunity. “I will proceed by ensuring the participation and collaboration of all parties and members in the provincial assembly,” he added.

Thapa is the fifth Chief Minister that Koshi Province has seen in six years. The first term of the Koshi Province Assembly saw three chief ministers – Sherdhan Rai and Bhim Acharya of CPN-UML and Rajendra Rai of CPN (Unified Socialist).  The second term, elected in November last year, has already witnessed two chief ministers. Thapa takes over from his predecessor, Hikmat Bahadur Karki of UML, who was automatically removed after failing a floor test in the provincial assembly on June 30.