<h1>Constitutional authority over appointments asserted as chief executive credited with state job allocations amid political critique.</h1> The deputy chief minister criticised the Leader of Opposition as politically influenced and challenged the opposition's competency and use of data, asserting that the chief minister-rather than the opposition party-decides government appointments and job allocations. Invoking the Constitution, he faulted the opposition's constitutional knowledge, reiterated the government's public employment commitments and reported implementation figures to support the government's development narrative during the legislative budget debate.