Sherdhan Rai resigns, Bhim Acharya becomes new CM of Province 1

ITAHARI, August 26: Chief Minister of Province 1, Sherdhan Rai has resigned from his post at noon and Bhim Acharya has been appointed as new Chief Minister of the province. Acharya was sworn in as the new CM by Province Chief Somnath Adhikari (Pyasi) early afternoon. 

Before his resignation, CM Rai, also the parliamentary party leader of CPN (UML) Province 1, had proposed Acharya as new parliamentary party leader of the CPN (UML) at a meeting held after 11 am at Asiatique Hotel of Biratnahar. 

Acharya has already worked as federal tourism minister during the premiership of Sushil Koirala. 

CM Acharya needs to prove his majority within 30 days as article 188(2) of the constitution demands to prove majority within 30 days of appointment if the majority party witness split. 

In the 93-member Provincial Assembly, there are only 92 members, currently, CPN (UML) has 51, Nepali Congress has 21, CPN (Maoist) Center has 15 members respectively. People's Socialist Party, RPP and Limbuwan each have 3, 1 and 1 respectively. CPN (Maoist) Center had expelled its former parliamentary party leader Tanka Angbohang after he defected to CPN (UML) bringing down Provincial Assembly member to 92 only. 

Sherdhan Rai was appointed as Chief Minister on 14 February 2018. He had defeated Bhim Acharya by 26 vote against Acharya's 24 in the parliamentary party leader election within CPN (UML), the party with absolute majority on 9 February 2018. One vote was disqualified. 

As of now, three members of Provincial Assembly have tilted towards Madhab Nepal's new founded party CPN (United Socialist). They are Rajendra Rai from Bhojpur constituency number 1 (1), Ganesh Kumar Kambang of Panchthar constituency number 1(1) and Rajan Rai of Khotang constituency number 1(1). 

To form the cabinet required 47 members, this is impossible if more than four members from CPN (UML) defect for the new party.