Chief Minister of Province 3 Dormani Poudel on Friday sacked Physical Infrastructure and Development Minister Keshav Sthapit after consulting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli twice.

Following a heated exchange with the Minister Sthapit during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, CM Poudel and Financial Affairs and Planning Kailash Dhungel had come to Kathmandu to consult with ailing PM Oli on Thursday.

“CM Poudel has sacked minister Sthapit and Poudel himself will look after his ministry for now,” said Anup Poudel, personal secretary of CM Poudel.

Sthapit had presented himself aggressively after the chief minister commented that Sthapit led ministry failed to give momentum to development works due to his ineffective performance. 

“He had never accepted Poudel as Chief Minister ever since he became minister and he had been continuously ignoring CM Poudel,” said Shalikram Jammarkattel, Minister for Internal Affairs and Law. “After the cabinet meeting turned ugly on Wednesday, CM Poudel was not in a position to continue Sthapit as minister,” he added. 

Sources claimed that Poudel had told PM Oli that he won’t be able to continue working with Sthapit.

Sthapit, who was elected from Kathmandu-6 (A) provincial constituency, had refused misbehaving with Chief Minister.

A former Kathmandu mayor, Sthapit was recently dragged into controversy after former municipal worker and a journalist accused him of sexually harassing them. He, however, has denied the allegations.