Kathmandu, October 12

President Ram Baran Yadav today administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly elected Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at Shital Niwas.

Oli took oath in the name of Nepali people instead of god. He did not pronounce ‘in the name of god’ while taking oath from the President.

Oli later formed an eight-member Cabinet, including two deputy prime ministers and five ministers.

Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal Kamal Thapa was sworn in as DPM with the charge of foreign ministry and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar was sworn in as DPM with the charge of ministry for physical infrastructure and transport.

Unified CPN-Maoist Treasurer Haribol Gajurel was sworn in as minister for agriculture, UML Chief Whip Agni Kharel as minister for law, justice, CA and parliamentary affairs, UML leader Som Prasad Pandey as minister for industry and UML leader Satya Narayan Mandal and RPP-N leader Ram Kumar Subba as ministers without portfolio.

President Yadav also administered oath of office and secrecy to the seven ministers at the same function.

Vice-president Paramananda Jha, Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang, outgoing PM Sushil Koirala and Acting Chief Justice Girish Chandra Lal were present at the swearing-in ceremony among other dignitaries. Ambassadors of several countries, including India, congratulated Oli after he took the oath of office and secrecy.

Following the swearing-in ceremony at Shital Niwas Prime Minister Oli visited the Martyrs’ Memorial at Lainchour and Shahid Gate and offered tributes to all the known and unknown martyrs of the country.

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Oli, later, appointed lawmaker of Madhes Samata Party-Nepal Meghraj Nepali Nishad as state minister.

He also appointed Minister Agni Kharel as government’s spokesperson. Later Oli assumed PM’s office and held the meeting of his Cabinet.

Govt to replace all wire bridges

KATHMANDU: The first meeting of the KP Sharma Oli-led Cabinet decided to replace all the existing wire bridges — popularly known as tuin — by suspension bridges within two years. According to Prime Minister Oli, there are 350 tuins throughout the country and it would cost Rs 3.25 billion to the government to replace them with suspension bridges. The Cabinet met right after Oli was sworn in a PM.

Parleys promised with protesters

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said on Monday the demands of the agitating parties would be addressed through talks. Talking to reporters after assuming office on Monday, Oli said since the agitating parties had already accepted the constitution their concerns would be addressed through dialogue soon. Oli said the disrupted supply of essentials including fuel would resume soon.