Karnali Chief Minister Raj Kumar Sharma on Thursday took an oath of office and secrecy.

Province head Tilak Pariyar administered oath to the chief minister and two provincial ministers.

Mangal Bahadur Shahi of the CPN (Maoist Centre) and Binod Kumar Shah of CPN-UML took an oath as ministers without portfolios.

Maoist Centre’s provincial assembly leader Sharma was appointed Karnali Province chief minister on Wednesday after he laid claim for the post with the support of 25 provincial assembly members.

Sharma has the support of 13 provincial assembly members of CPN (Maoist Centre), ten provincial assembly members of CPN-UML and one each provincial assembly member of CPN (Unified Socialist) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

As a per power-sharing deal, Sharma will first lead the government for two and a half years and UML’s provincial assembly leader Yamlal Kandel for the remaining term.