Nepali Congress ministers to take oath Friday as intra-party dispute ends

KATHMANDU: The intra-party dispute between two factions of Nepali Congress party on nomination of leaders to be sent to the incumbent coalition government ended on Thursday.

Accordingly, around one dozen ministers from the party would take the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Friday.

Earlier, the faction led by senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel was demanding that it be given five portfolios in the coalition government, while the party President Sher Bahadur Deuba was ready for giving only four ministries to the Paudel faction.

But, after Paudel faction warned of never joining the government if not getting "respectable position," Deuba finally agreed with Puadel's demand, according to the sources.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs and Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi told the Rastriya Samachar Samiti that the names of new ministers would be submitted to the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today itself.

However, the oath would be held only tomorrow as President Bidya Devi Bhandari is scheduled to attend various functions organised on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami today, according to the sources.

The party is said to take charge over 13 ministries in the CPN Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led Cabinet.

However, the party has only sent two leaders – Bimalendra Nidhi and Ramesh Lekhak – as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs and the Ministry for Physical Infrastructure and Transport respectively so far.

The largest party in the Parliament had been unable to recommend names for ministerial berths as various factions in the party sought “respectable” shares in the Cabinet.

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