Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Dirgha Bahadur Sodari on Tuesday inducted Tika Thapa of the Nagarik Unmukti Party into his Council of Ministers.

Province Head Najir Miya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Thapa, who was given the responsibility of the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives.

The Cabinet is now three-strong with the appointment of Thapa.

Earlier, Kailash Chaudhary of the Nagarik Unmukti was appointed as the Minister of Physical Infrastructure Development. Both Thapa and Chaudhary, who belong to Ranjita Shrestha-led faction of the party, had supported the chief minister to stake a claim for the post.

Ruling partners, UML and CPN (Maoist Centre), are yet to pick ministers.

On April 18, Sodari of the CPN (Unified Socialist) was appointed as the chief minister with the support of the CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Centre), Nagarik Unmukti Party and an independent member.

Meanwhile, the chief minister is preparing to go for the floor test as per the constitutional provision that makes it mandatory for a chief minister to get a trust vote within 30 days of the appointment. In the 53-member provincial assembly, the Maoist Centre has 11 members, the UML has 10, Nagarik Unmukti has 7 and the Unified Socialist has four members.