Newly appointed Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah formed his Cabinet on Friday with he and two ministers taking the oath of office and secrecy.

Province head Dev Raj Joshi on Thursday appointed Shah as chief minister after CPN-UML’s Rajendra Singh Rawal failed to win the trust of the provincial assembly and lost chief ministership. The constitution requires a chief minister to secure the confidence of the provincial assembly within thirty days of his appointment.

Rawal tendered his resignation Thursday after his proposal to seek the confidence of the Assembly was defeated. Rawal was appointed chief minister on January 11 following his submission of claim to the post with the backing of 29 provincial legislators. The assembly is 53-strong.

Joshi administered the oath to the new chief minister, Shah, and ministers—Naresh Shahi of the CPN (Unified Socialist) and Prakash Deuba of the Nepali Congress.

Shahi has been appointed minister for economic affairs and Deuba physical infrastructure minister.

Shah was appointed chief minister as per Article 168 (3) of the Constitution.

The article states that in cases where the chief minister cannot be appointed within 30 days of the declaration of the final results of provincial assembly elections, or the chief minister fails to secure a vote of confidence within 30 days of appointment, the chief of the province appoints the parliamentary leader of the party having the highest number of members in the assembly as new chief minister.

Now, Congress will lead the government as the largest party in the assembly commanding 19 seats. In the 53-strong assembly, the Congress has 19 members, the Unified Socialist three, and one independent lawmaker, while the UML has nine, the Maoist Centre 10, the Nagarik Unmukti Party seven, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has one member.

Shah should also secure a vote of confidence in the assembly within 30 days of appointment.