Bagmati Chief Minister Baniya Says He Has No Information About Power-Sharing Deal with UML

March 6, Hetauda – Bagmati Province Chief Minister Indrabahadur Baniya has stated that he has no knowledge of any power-sharing arrangement previously made between the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) regarding the alternating chief ministership. While the UML, a coalition partner, has recently raised the issue of leadership transfer based on an earlier agreement with Congress, Chief Minister Baniya expressed his unfamiliarity with the matter.

“I am not aware of any power-sharing deal. The party leadership is also unaware of such information,” Baniya stated during an interaction with journalists at the Chief Minister’s office on Monday. “Here we have ministers from both Congress and UML, but even they do not have knowledge of this.”

Last year in Shrawan (July-August), when the Congress and UML formed a joint government, an agreement was made to alternate the chief ministership every 20 months. At that time, Bahadur Singh Lama, a leader from Congress supported by UML, was appointed Chief Minister. According to Congress MPs aligned with Lama, there was an understanding that UML parliamentary party leader Jagannath Thapaliya would assume leadership after Lama. Thapaliya has been advocating for a leadership transfer after Falgun (February-March) in line with this prior agreement.

However, one year into Lama’s tenure, Indrabahadur Baniya, who had secured majority support within the Congress parliamentary party, filed a no-confidence motion to remove him. Following internal party disputes during the fiscal year 2081/82 budget, Baniya gained majority support among other MPs and with backing from then party chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba, displaced Lama and assumed the chief minister position himself. Baniya took office on Shrawan 20, 2082 (early August 2025).

On Shrawan 9, 2082, 21 MPs led by Baniya filed a no-confidence motion against Lama. On Shrawan 13, the vote resulted in 22 in favor and 15 against the motion, causing Lama to lose his position as parliamentary party leader. Subsequently, on Shrawan 14, Baniya won the party leadership election, paving the way for him to become chief minister. Previously, on Poush 13, 2079 (late December 2022), Baniya had been defeated by Lama by 5 votes in the party leader election.