Nepali Congress provincial assembly leader Kamal Bahadur Shah on Sunday staked a claim for Sudurpaschim chief minister.

Shah presented his claim to lead a new government before Province Head Najir Miya with signatures of lawmakers from his party, Congress, and the CPN-UML.

Earlier on Sunday, a meeting of the parliamentary party of the Congress picked Shah as a candidate for the chief minister following a direction from Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Apart from Shah, Prakash Man Singh, Bahadur Singh Thapa, and Diwan Singh Bista were among those aspiring for the position of chief minister. Bista belongs to the Shekhar Koirala-led faction, while three others are close to the party president. Leaders said the parliamentary party picked Shah on Deuba’s direction.

It will be the second term for Shah as a chief minister if appointed. Shah served as chief minister for a year and two months, from February 9, 2023, to April 4 this year.

Sudurpaschim Province Head Miya on Friday called on the political parties represented in the provincial assembly to show a majority and stake their claim for the post of chief minister within three days. The province head has given a deadline till 5pm on Sunday to stake a claim to lead a new government.

The Congress-UML coalition has a majority to form a joint government in the province. The support of 27 members is required to command a majority in the 53-member provincial assembly. The Congress has 18 members and the UML has 11. The Nagarik Unmukti Party, which has seven members, will also support the new government.

On Friday, Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Dirgha Bahadur Sodari resigned while addressing a provincial assembly meeting.

The assembly meeting was scheduled to vote on a motion of confidence tabled by the chief minister. However, Sodari announced his resignation during the same meeting.

The Sodari-led government was reduced to a minority after the CPN-UML withdrew its support to his government on July 4 following the dramatic changes in the ruling coalition at the centre.

Sodari, a leader of CPN (Unified Socialist), was appointed chief minister of the province on April 18 with the support of the CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Centre), Nagarik Unmukti Party and an independent member despite his bitter relations with the UML’s local politicians.