New Coalition Government Formed in Koshi Province with Previous Leadership

A new coalition government has been formed in Koshi Province under the leadership of Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki following an agreement between the CPN-UML and the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). The new government includes five members from the NCP, comprising four ministers and one state minister, who took their oath on Monday afternoon. With the cabinet expansion, there has been a reshuffle of responsibilities among some ministers from the UML, and Jeevan Acharya has been assigned the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development. (1 Bhadra, Biratnagar)

After three weeks of agreement between the CPN-UML and the Nepal Communist Party, a new coalition government has been established in Koshi Province under the previous leadership. This development came 23 days after a three-point pact was reached between UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and NCP Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. Previously, the coalition government—including the UML and the Nepali Congress—also functioned under the leadership of Karki.

Following the three-point agreement, Oli had initially sought to replace Hikmat Kumar Karki as Chief Minister with Til Kumar Menyangbo. However, after the attempt to remove Karki failed, Oli stepped back. With Karki’s continuation as Chief Minister assured, the NCP agreed to join the government. Prior to this, under Karki’s leadership, the Nepali Congress had held four ministerial and one state ministerial positions. The NCP is now participating in government with four ministers and one state minister. Among the five NCP members sworn in Monday afternoon, three are women.