SURKHET: Mangal Bahadur Shahi, leader of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) parliamentary party in Karnali Province, was appointed chief minister on Tuesday under Article 168(2) of the Constitution.

Province Chief Yagya Raj Joshi appointed Shahi after he staked a claim to form the government with the support of lawmakers from the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) and the CPN (UML), securing the majority required in the Provincial Assembly.

The process to form a new government began after former Chief Minister Yam Lal Kandel of the CPN (UML) resigned on Saturday. Shahi previously served as minister of physical infrastructure and cooperative development in the provincial government.