Makwanpur, Aug. 12 -- Bagmati Province Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Baniya has comfortably secured a vote of confidence in the provincial assembly, reinforcing his political standing just a week after assuming office amid internal party tensions.

In Tuesday's assembly meeting, Baniya received the backing of both Nepali Congress and CPN-UML lawmakers, with 63 members voting in his favour. Twenty-two lawmakers opposed the motion, while seven remained neutral. The 110-member assembly requires a minimum of 56 votes for a majority, meaning Baniya crossed the threshold by a healthy margin.

Baniya faced pressure from within his party after unseating its provincial leader, Bahadur Singh Lama, from the post of chief minister. Nevertheless, with ...