CPN-UML provincial assembly leader Khagaraj Adhikari has been appointed chief minister of Gandaki Province.

Provincial head Prithvi Man Gurung appointed Adhikari as the chief minister after he laid claim to the post with the support of 33 members of the 60-member provincial assembly. Gurung will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new Chief Minister Adhikari at 4:45 pm today.

“Provincial head Prithvi Man Gurung has appointed CPN-UML leader and member of the Gandaki Provincial Assembly Khagaraj Adhikari as the chief minister of the province as per Article 168(2) of the constitution,” said Chandi Prasad Aryal, spokesperson of the office of the Gandaki Provincial Head. “New chief minister will be administered oath of office and secrecy at 4:45 pm today.”

Adhikari has the support of 33 members including UML’s 22 members, the Maoist Centre’s eight members, two of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and one member of CPN (Unified Socialist).

Adhikari, who is also the party’s Standing Committee member, is the third chief minister of the province since the formation of the provincial governments in 2017.

UML’s Prithvi Subba Gurung was the first chief minister of the province after the 2017 federal and provincial polls. Gurung was replaced by Nepali Congress leader Krishna Chandra Nepali following the split in the then Nepal Communist Party.