Bagmati Province Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Baniya has comfortably secured a vote of confidence in the provincial assembly, reinforcing his political standing just a week after assuming office amid internal party tensions.

In Tuesday’s assembly meeting, Baniya received the backing of both Nepali Congress and CPN-UML lawmakers, with 63 members voting in his favour. Twenty-two lawmakers opposed the motion, while seven remained neutral. The 110-member assembly requires a minimum of 56 votes for a majority, meaning Baniya crossed the threshold by a healthy margin.

Baniya faced pressure from within his party after unseating its provincial leader, Bahadur Singh Lama, from the post of chief minister. Nevertheless, with the support of 37 Congress lawmakers and 27 from the UML, he managed to consolidate his position.

Political observers say the vote of confidence provides Baniya with breathing room to focus on governance, though challenges remain in bridging divides within his party and ensuring stability in the province.