Kathmandu, Nepal: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expanded the Cabinet inducting four ministers- two each from CPN-UML and CPN Maoist Centre, on Monday.
The three member cabinet now reached seven members after comprising UML Ishwar Pokhrel and Yuvaraj Khatiwada from CPN-UML, and Ram Bahadur Thapa and Matrika Yadav from CPN Maoist Center.
All the newly appointed ministers were administered the oath of the office and secrecy by the President Bidhya Devi Bhandari amid a function organized at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas on Monday as well.
Earlier, there was a speculation that cabinet will be expanded in full-fledged. But it could not happen due to the differences in the UML over the issue of persons, who will be included in the cabinet.
It is said that high number of aspirants and the internal rivalry is creating trouble in the UML to pick the names as ministers.
CPN UML General Secretary Pokhrel will lead the UML ministers in the Cabinet with Defense Ministry portfolio. Earlier, there was a speculation that he would be inducted in the cabinet with Finance Ministry portfolio.
But Khatiwada, who is the former Governor and Vice-chair of the National Planning Commission (NPC), appointed as the Finance Minister astonishing not only the UML leaders but also the others as appointment of Khatida as National Assembly member is stayed from the Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday.
However, constitutional provision has allowed that the ministers, including the Prime Minister, can serve as Cabinet Ministers for up to six months prior to being sworn in as the members of the Parliament.
Responding to a writ petition filed against the appointment of three National Assembly members by the incumbent government overturning the decision of the previous government, the SC had issued an interim order asking the government to hold the oath taking ceremony of the three newly appointed members to National Assembly (NA), including the currently appointed Finance Minister Khatiwada.
Khatiwada has to be ousted from the Finance Minister after six months if his appointed as National Assembly member was not approved from the Supreme Court.
Likewise, CPN Maoist senior leader Thapa and Yadav have been appointed as Minister for Home Affairs and Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies respectively. Though the CPN Maoist Center also faced internal differences over the issue of appointment as the ministers, it was managed through the discussions.
It is claimed that cabinet will be expanded in full-fledged within a week after finalizing the issue of Federal Socialist Forum Nepal’s participation in the government.
