 He eventually became chief minister, and ran the day-to-day affairs of the nominal vassal state of Pinya.The powerful minister continued to serve Ba's successor Letya Sekkya but was sidelined in 1344 when Htauk Hlayga seized the governorship by assassinating Sekkya.Hlayga had timed the assassination during the transition of power at Pinya, and the new king Kyawswa I of Pinya (r. 1344–50) allowed Hlayga to keep the office.