Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah on Thursday sacked Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Minister Rameshwar Chaudhary after the latter defied repeated calls to resign, escalating tensions within the ruling coalition in the province.

Chaudhary, a provincial lawmaker from the Nagarik Unmukti Party, was appointed minister in May.

On June 17, Chief Minister Shah of Nepali Congress had formally requested Chaudhary for his resignation, citing his alleged breach of financial discipline during the budget drafting process and his unilateral appointment of an executive director to the Khaptad Tourism Development and Management Committee without consultation.

Rather than complying, Chaudhary publicly dared the chief minister to dismiss him, saying, “If he can, let him sack me.”

Following more than two weeks of a standoff, Shah exercised his constitutional authority and relieved Chaudhary of his duties. The chief minister will oversee the ministry for now.

This marks the second such controversy involving a minister from the Nagarik Unmukti Party in recent months. In April, the then forest minister Laxmankishor Chaudhary resigned following allegations of financial irregularities.

The Sudurpaschim government is led by the Nepali Congress in partnership with the CPN-UML and Nagarik Unmukti Party.

While the coalition remains intact for now, the incident has exposed growing friction between the ruling partners in the province.