After much political wrangling, Nepal's prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal expanded his 11-member cabinet with the inclusion of five new ministers.
After much political wrangling, Nepal's prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Wednesday expanded his 11-member cabinet with the inclusion of five new ministers -- four from CPN-UML and one from key ally Nepali Congress.
However, the premier still failed to give full shape to his cabinet as the names of ministers from three Madhesi parties are yet to be finalised.
CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal will be the new home minister while his party colleague Shanker Pokharel has been given the Information and Communication portfolio.
56-year-old Nepal, who heads a 22-party coalition government, also gave portfolios to six ministers did not have any department allocated to them till now.
However, the names of ministers from three Madhesi parties are yet to be finalised though an agreement has been reached on distributing portfolios to them after a meeting between Nepal and the representative of the parties, according to sources close to the prime minister.
Ravindra Shrestha and Rakam Chemjong of CPN-UML got the portfolios of General Administration and Peace and Reconstruction. Vidya Bhandari and Surendra Pandey from the main ruling party have already been appointed ministers for defence and finance, respectively.
Mohamad Aftab Alam of Nepali Congress has been appointed as minister for labour and transport.
Five NC ministers, who had taken oath earlier this month, have also been allocated portfolios.
Prakash Sharan Mahat will be the minister for energy, Minendra Rijal minister for Constituent Assembly, parliamentary affairs and culture, Balkrishna Khand is minister for irrigation, Umakanta Chaudhari is minister for health and population and Purna Kumar Sherma will be the minister for local development.
Sujata Koirala of Nepali Congress has already been allocated the ministry of foreign affairs. Damber Shrestha from CPN-ML has been given the portfolio of land reforms and management.
Four ministries have been allocated for Madhesi People's Rights Forum, two for Terai Madhes Democratic Party and one for Sadbhavana Party. However, as their names have not yet been finalised, the Madhesi parties will get their ministers inducted only on Friday, sources said.
Nepal administered oath of office and secrecy to the newly-appointed ministers at the Presidential Office at Sheetal Niwas in the presence of President Ram Baran Yadav.
The CPN-UML leader took over as premier last month after Maoist chief Prachanda resigned following a bitter dispute with the president over the removal of army chief general Rukmangad Katawal.
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