Kathmandu, Nepal, September 28, 2021: The ruling allies have reached near to consensus to expand the cabinet. It is said that the cabinet would be expanded soon after the agreement about the sharing of the ministries among the coalition partners.
As the ruling allies have already agreed about the number of ministries to be divided among the coalition partners, it is believed that there would not be delay to reach on the consensus to give full shape the cabinet.
The incumbent coalition government formed under the leadership of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has been facing criticism for the delay to expand the cabinet. As the government is run by five cabinet ministers and a state minister, the government has obviously failed to show good performance.
The ordinance introduced to amend the Political Parties Act has been repealed on Monday with the motive to ease the process to expand the cabinet. The CPN (Unified Socialist) and the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) had their own riding on the ordinance, which has also causing delay to expand the cabinet.
The JSP had been forwarding a precondition that the government first withdraw the ordinance brought to amend the Political Parties Act-2017 for the party to join the government.
The JSP had been forwarding the precondition with an understanding that party would face another split if the ordinance was not repealed before the cabinet expansion, thanks to the high number of aspirants in the party to be appointed as the ministers.
Likewise, the CPN (Unified Socialist) had also been exerting pressure to the government to wait take decision to repeal the ordinance and expand the cabinet until a Supreme Court settles the case related to the split of the CPN UML.
It is said that the ordinance was repealed in the consent of the CPN (Unified Socialist) believing that the Supreme Court’s decision not to issue stay order over the case filed by the CPN UML against the 14 lawmakers, who had made revolt to split the party, would not affect the party.
It is said that the Nepali Congress would get eight ministerial portfolios including a state minister and the Prime Minister. Since Nepali Congress has already appointed three ministers and a state minister, including Dr. Narayan Khadka as Minister of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, remaining three ministers would be picked by forging consensus with the rival factions led by party’s senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel.
Likewise, the CPN (Maoist Center) would get six ministers including one state minister. As it has already sent two cabinet ministers, four ministers including a state minister would be picked soon. It is said that a meeting of the party held on Monday decided to pick the name of those who had not got chance in the past.
Similarly, the CPN (United Socialist) would get six ministers including a state minister. The party has tentatively agreed to pick Birodh Khatiwada as team leader to participate in the government representing to the party.
Likewise, JSP would get five ministers including a state minister. Likewise, Rastriya Janamorcha would get one cabinet minister, most likely the minister for Woman, Children and Social Welfare.
Though the Janamorcha had been stating that it would not to join in the government but extend support, it is said that it has made decision to send its only one lawmaker Durga Poudel in the government.
