Newly appointed Minister of State for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kham Bahadur Garbuja took the oath of office and secrecy before Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Sunday.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, other ministers, and senior government officials were present at the event.

President Ramchandra Paudel appointed Garbuja, a member of the House of Representatives from the Nepali Congress, as the minister of state on Wednesday upon the prime minister’s recommendation.

Garbuja replaced fellow Congress leader Purna Bahadur (Kancharam) Tamang, who was dismissed by Prime Minister Oli on April 23.

Tamang has publicly claimed that he was removed for expressing dissent against the prime minister, specifically on the latter’s move to dismiss Kulman Ghising from the post of managing director at Nepal Electricity Authority.