HETAUDA: Bagmati Province Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama has resigned.

His resignation comes just days after he lost the Nepali Congress parliamentary party leadership to Indra Bahadur Baniya.

Lama, who became Chief Minister on July 24, 2024, led the province for one year and nine days.

At a press conference on Sunday evening, Lama said he resigned following party president Sher Bahadur Deuba’s instructions.

He claimed internal conspiracies within his own party forced him to step down. “I worked honestly, but my own party’s games pushed me out,” Lama said. He warned that such actions threaten democracy and republicanism.

Just five days earlier, Lama had refused to resign. After losing the party leadership vote on July 30, he argued there was no constitutional reason to quit.

“The Chief Minister doesn’t have to be the party leader,” he had said, referring to Article 168(2) of the Constitution. Lama also pointed out that a no-confidence motion against his government was not possible within two years.

He insisted that his government was stable and would not collapse easily. But growing pressure within the party and Deuba’s direct order forced his hand.

Lama said he would not run away from responsibility but would respect party discipline.

His resignation clears the way for Indra Bahadur Baniya to claim the Chief Minister’s position.

This episode has exposed deep divisions within the Nepali Congress in Bagmati Province.

It has also raised concerns about political stability in the provincial government.