Kathmandu March 14

CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said today that the Cabinet was likely to be expanded tomorrow.

According to CPN-MC leader Mani Thapa, Dahal, who addressed CPN-MC youth organisation at party headquarters Parisdanda today,  is scheduled to meet Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli tomorrow morning to finalise the names of ministers and their portfolios.

Oli and Dahal had told mediapersons yesterday that the Cabinet would be expanded within a week. Oli had said that discussions were under way with other parties on Cabinet expansion. PM Oli and Dahal have reached an understanding whereby the CPN-UML will get 10 ministries, including prime ministership, CPN-MC six and Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal two.

Earlier, the two parties had agreed that the UML would get 11 ministries and the CPN-MC seven. But the two parties allocated one ministry each from their quota to FSF-N. Oli and Dahal have agreed not to limit the Cabinet at 18 ministries.

According to the constitution, the number of ministers, including state and assistant ministers, should not exceed 25.

According to sources, CPN-MC leaders Barshaman Pun, Giriraj Mani Pokharel and Bina Magar are likely to get ministerial berths. Either Janardan Sharma or Shakti Basnet from Province 6 is also likely to get a portfolio. UML leaders, meanwhile, suggested that Magar should only be made minister of state, but Dahal is pressing her case for a Cabinet berth.

CPN-UML lawmakers Pradeep Gyawali, Raghubir Mahashetha and Basanta Nembang are also likely to be made ministers.