Hetaunda, August 19
On the day the CPN-UML officially split, the Bagmati province got its new government under Ashta Laxmi Shakya as the chief minister.
Incumbent Dor Mani Paudel resigned on Wednesday to convince the Shakya-led camp in the party to stay in the UML itself and not support the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led new party.
Before this, Shakya was a senior leader among the UML dissidents who were empowering Madhav Kumar Nepal to split the party, owing to their differences with the KP Sharma Oli’s leadership.
Although Shakya has been convinced to stay in the UML, it is not immediately clear if other lawmakers of the camp in the provincial assembly support Nepal or Shakya. If a significant section decides to join the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led party, Shakya’s government might topple.
Shakya has become the first woman to lead a provincial government in the country. She is in politics for at least four and a half decades.
Meanwhile, Shakya also announced a three-member cabinet on Wednesday.
