Kathmandu, June 6

Leaders of CPN-Maoist Centre are against recalling its ministers from the KP Sharma Oli-led government, claiming it to be an internal matter of the party.

When Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli complained to CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal about the inefficiency of his ministers and urged him to recall them yesterday, Dahal told the PM that he would discuss the issue with his party’s leaders.

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However, CPN-MC leaders are against changing the ministers. Sources in the CPN-MC headquarters claimed that Prime Minister Oli wanted to transfer pro-Maoist Chief District Officers, including the CDOs of Kathmandu and Dhading, but Home Minister Shakti Basnet refused to obey, claiming that transfer of CDOs fell under his jurisdiction and the PM should not intervene.

After the home minister transferred 51 under secretaries, including 15 CDOs, and defied PM Oli’s direction to revoke the decision, the PM told Dahal that Basnet had snubbed him.

The PM had also urged Dahal to recall Minister for Supplies Ganeshman Pun, as his performance was below par.

CPN-MC leaders, however, claimed that the PM should not interfere in the activities of the ministries led by other coalition partners and if there was any issue regarding those ministries the party would deal with it.

Leader of CPN-MC Mani Thapa said his party was against recalling the ministers, as they had been doing their job quite satisfactorily and UML should not pressure the ministries led by other partners.

The issue was also raised during the CPN-UML’s standing committee meeting yesterday. During the meeting, leaders opined that any minister defying prime minister’s direction should be made to fall in line.

Meanwhile, head of the Publicity Department of the CPN-UML Yogesh Bhattarai today admitted the existence of gentleman’s agreement with CPN-MC that paved the way for the nine-point agreement that ultimately saved Oli’s government.

Addressing a function organised by Press Chautari Nepal here today, leader Bhattarai, who is close to Madhav Kumar Nepal faction, urged CPN-MC Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to take the initiative for the formation of national consensus government.

He, however, said UML-led government would continue unless the parties were ready for the formation of national consensus government.