Lumbini Province Chief Minister Jokh Bahadur Mahara, along with three ministers, took the oath of office on Sunday.

Province Head Amik Sherchan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Chief Minister Mahara at the function at the Butwal-based Office of the Province Head. Alongside Mahara, ministers—Chet Narayan Acharya of the CPN-UML, Dipendra Pun of the CPN (Maoist Centre), and Bhandari Lal Ahir of the Janata Samajbadi Party—took their oaths of office.

The ministerial portfolios have not been assigned to the ministers as the partners of the ruling alliance have yet to reach an agreement on ministerial allocation.

Sudarshan Baral, chair of Maoist Centre Lumbini Province chapter, said that the Cabinet expansion will be done after the chief minister secures a vote of confidence. He said the portfolios will be assigned once the ruling alliance finalises a deal on ministerial allocation.

Chief Minister Mahara previously held the position of Finance Minister, while UML’s Acharya has been appointed as a minister for the third time. Ahir was the Minister for Agriculture and Land Management in the Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary-led government.

Mahara of the ruling Maoist Centre was appointed chief minister on Friday after Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary of the Nepali Congress resigned after his attempts to prove majority in the provincial assembly failed.

After Chaudhary stepped down, the Maoist Centre leader staked a claim to lead the new provincial government with the signatures of 48 provincial assembly members.

Support of 44 members in the 87-member assembly is required for forming a government.

A total of 27 CPN-UML assembly members, 10 from the Maoist Centre, four from the Nagarik Unmukti Party, three from the Janata Samajbadi Party, one from CPN (Unified Socialist) and one independent member supported Mahara.