Bagmati Province Head Yadavchandra Sharma on Sunday has asked provincial assembly members and political parties to submit their claims for the chief minister’s post and form a government in the province within two days.

The office of the Province Head, in a notice, called on the provincial assembly members to form a majority with the support of two or more parties represented in the provincial assembly and present their claim for chief minister’s post by 5 pm on July 23.

The constitutional process to form a new government has begun after incumbent Chief Minister Shalikram Jamakattel resigned his post earlier on Sunday. The CPN (Maoist Centre) leader tendered his resignation as his government slipped into minority with the formation of a federal coalition between the Congress and the UML.

Addressing the provincial assembly, Jamakattel announced his resignation to pave the way for a new government. He, however, expressed concerns regarding the new partnership between the two largest parties of the country, warning that it could jeopardise the achievements made in implementing the federal constitution.

To form a government in Bagmati Province, any party or provincial assembly member must have the support of 56 provincial assembly members. In the 110-seat Bagmati provincial assembly, the Congress has 37 members, UML 27, Maoist Centre 21, Rastriya Prajatantra Party 13, CPN (Unified Socialist) seven, Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party three and Hamro Nepali Party has two seats.

As per the power sharing deal at the centre, the Congress leads the provincial government in Bagmati and the UML forms a new government in Lumbini Province. Provincial assembly leader of the Nepali Congress in Bagmati Bahadur Singh Lama is likely to be appointed as the new chief minister.

Meanwhile in Lumbini, Chief Minister Jokh Bahadur Mahara announced his resignation while addressing the provincial assembly meeting on Sunday. His government fell into minority after the UML withdrew its support on July 4.

Mahara of the Maoist Centre was appointed chief minister of the Lumbini Province in April with the support of 27 UML assembly members, 10 of the Maoist Centre, four of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, three from the Janata Samajbadi Party, one from Unified Socialist, and one other independent member.

In Lumbini, the UML is the largest party with 29 seats followed by the Congress with 27 seats. The two parties’ strength is more than enough to prove the majority in the 87-member Lumbini provincial assembly.

After the resignation of Mahara, UML leader Lila Giri is all set to be appointed as new chief minister with the support of the Nepali Congress, which has 27 members in the assembly.