KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed five ministers at the Sheetal Niwas on Sunday. Minister for Energy Janardan Sharma, Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Hitraj Pandey, Minister for Information and Communications Surendra Kumar (Ram) Karki, Minister without Portfolio Dhaniram Paudel and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajaya Shankar Nayak took the oath of office and secrecy amid a special function today. They all represent Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's CPN Maoist Centre party in the coalition government. Earlier, Paudel was said to be recommended as the Minister for Education. He, however, was sworn-in without any portfolio. It has been learned that both the CPN MC and Nepali Congress both have claimed their stake in the Ministry of Education. Dignitaries including Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Speaker Onsari Gharti among others were present on the occasion. READ ALSO:

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