Prachanda expands Cabinet, yet again

Kathmandu, March 31

Nepal’s PM Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda on Friday expanded his Cabinet for the third time in as many months by inducting 11 new ministers amidst last-minute bargaining over portfolios among partners of the 10-party ruling alliance. Despite the seventh reshuffling, the Cabinet is yet to get into full shape. President Ramchandra Poudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed ministers at Sheetal Niwas, in the presence of Prachanda.

The new Cabinet has two Deputy PMs — Purna Bahadur Khadka from Nepali Congress and Narayan Kaji Shrestha from CPN-Maoist Centre, 13 ministers and one minister of state.

Khadka is the Deputy PM with the defence portfolio while Shrestha administers the home ministry.

There are four ministers from the Nepali Congress party, including Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister for Industry and Commerce Ramesh Rijal, and Minister for Urban Development Sita Gurung, besides Khadka. Two ministers are from CPN-Unified Centre, including Veduram Bhushal, the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, and Prakash Jwala, the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

The CPN-Maoist Centre has got seven ministries, including the post of PM and a minister of state. Prachanda is still looking after the foreign ministry, ministries of law, justice and parliamentary affairs, etc.