Laxmi Capital News
Govt to finally expand Cabinet today

Oli and Dahal had a one-on-onemeeting at Baluwatar today and reached understanding on expanding the Cabinettomorrow.

As per allocation of portfolios,UML will have 11 ministries, including the PM, and CPN-MC seven ministries.However, the number of aspirants is much higher than the ministerial berths.

Those who will be inducted in theCabinet will take the oath of office and secrecy tomorrow afternoon.

Oli and Dahal have decided togive the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Federal Affairs andGeneral Administration and the post of deputy speaker of the House ofRepresentatives to the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal.

According to sources, UML GeneralSecretary Ishwor Pokharel, Secretary Pradeep Gyawali, lawmaker Parbat Gurungand Prem Ale and Rabindra Adhikari are likely to get ministerial berths.

Ishwor Pokharel is likely to beat the helm of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Gyawali the Ministry ofPhysical Infrastructures and Transport and Gurung the Ministry of Tourism.

CPN-MC lawmakers Ram BahadurThapa, Barshaman Pun, Matrika Yadav, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Devendra Poudel,Bina Magar and Sudan Kirati are also likely to be ministers, while CPN-MClawmaker Amanlal Modi is likely to be a minister for state.

There are dozens of lawmakers inboth the CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist Centre who desire to become ministers.

According to CPN-MC sources,Prabhu Sah, who represents the party in the Parliament, said in a party meetingthat he did well in the previous Cabinet and wanted to assume the sameministry.

CPN-Maoist Centre lawmakerDevendra Poudel and Chandra Dev Khanal, who have never been ministers, want tobe inducted in the Cabinet this time.

Krishna Bahadur Mahara, DevGurung and Giriraj Mani Pokharel, meanwhile, have been eyeing the post ofspeaker.

According to CPN-MC leaders, RamBahadur Thapa and Barshaman Pun have been lobbying for the home ministry.

UML lawmakers Bishnu Poudel,Surendra Pandey, Yogesh Bhattarai and Padma Aryal also harbour aspirations tobecome ministers.

Source said either Poudel orPandey could be given the defence portfolio. Bhattarai is likely to be theMinister of Information and Communications.

Lal Babu Pandit and Tham MayaThapa Magar are already in the Cabinet from the UML.

It is not clear whether theFSF-Nepal will join the government tomorrow, but whenever they do, FSF-NepalChairman Upendra Yadav is likely to be the minister of foreign affairs.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli andCPN-MC Chairman Dahal have assured the FSF-N that they will address the issuesraised by the party, including that of constitution amendment.

Source: The Himalayan Times, 25th February 2018

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