Kathmandu, Nepal, June 21, 2022: As Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is under pressure from the coalition partners of the incumbent government, particularly from the CPN (Unified Socialist) to replace the ministers, cabinet reshuffle is likely by Wednesday.
Even though the Prime Minister was planning to reshuffle the cabinet only after consensus with other coalition partners including CPN (Maoist Centre), Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and his own party Nepali Congress, the United Socialist has been exerting pressure to replace its ministers in new one.
Prime Minister Deuba would induct four new ministers from the United Socialist party by Wednesday even if the consensus was not made with other parties regarding the reshuffle of the cabinet, a close aide of the Prime Minister said preferring anonymity.
The Unified Socialist had already recommend Jeevan Ram Shrestha as minister for tourism, culture and civil aviation replacing Prem Bahadur Ale, Metmani Chaudhary as minister for urban development replacing Ram Kumari Jhakri, Sher Bahadur Kunwar as minister for labour and employment replacing Krishna Kumar Shrestha and Bhawani Prasad Khapung as minister for health and population replacing Birodh Khatiwada. Khapung is currently serving as state minister for health and Population. The party had also recommended Hira Chandra KC as minister of state for health and population.
Prime Minister Deuba withheld the recommendation stating that replacement of ministers before endorsing the budget from the parliament would hamper to answer the questions raised over the budget. As the budget is endorsed from the House of Representatives and it has been forwarded to the National Assembly, the United Socialist, particularly its chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal has renewed pressure to replace its ministers with new one.
Though the CPN (Moist Center) and the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) are also intending to replace their ministers with new one, they have failed to reach on the conclusion due to the internal differences. It was already reported that Maoist Chairman Pushpa kamal Dahal had already said the finance minister Janardan Sharma to tender his resignation from the post. However, he has been denying doing so.
Prime Minister Deuba has intensified consolation with the leaders of the coalition partners regarding the reshuffling the cabinet but not reached on the conclusion yet. The ministers from the United Socialist party would be replaced by Wednesday even if the consensus is not made with other parties, the aide of the Prime Minister Deuba added.
