The agreement was reached during a discussion on Saturday in the presence of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba.
According to NC deputy parliamentary leader Ramkrishna Chitrakar, Lama set two conditions for his resignation: the swearing-in of three ministers he appointed on Shrawan 14, and assurance of consultation with his faction in the new government’s operation. Once these conditions were met, Lama agreed to resign.
Lama had appointed Govinda Lamsal, Maya Shrestha, and Geeta Gurung as ministers, but their swearing-in ceremony was delayed due to dissatisfaction from coalition partner CPN-UML and an unexpected health issue involving Province Head Deepak Prasad Devkota.
The ministers are expected to be sworn in once Devkota returns from medical treatment in Kathmandu. If not, Lama’s resignation will be submitted to the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers’ Office directly.
With Lama’s departure, newly elected NC parliamentary leader Indra Bahadur Baniya is set to become the sixth Chief Minister of Bagmati Province.
Previous chief ministers include Dormani Poudel, Astalaxmi Shakya, Rajendra Prasad Pandey, Shalikram Jamkattel, and Bahadur Singh Lama.
Post-Election Pressure
Baniya secured 22 votes against Lama’s 14 in the NC parliamentary leader election held on Shrawan 14. Despite his defeat, Lama initially refused to resign, arguing that leading a coalition government didn’t require being the party leader.
However, growing internal and external pressure — including direct intervention from NC President Deuba — ultimately forced his hand.
Short-Term Tenure for Baniya
Baniya’s tenure as Chief Minister, however, will be brief. As per a prior power-sharing agreement between NC and CPN-UML, he will lead the government for around eight months.
In Falgun, leadership is set to rotate to UML as part of a broader seven-point agreement between the two major parties aimed at ensuring political stability in the province.
