Kathmandu, November 5

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today expanded his cabinet by inducting three new deputy prime ministers and four ministers.

With the latest expansion, the Cabinet has 26 members, including the prime minister, six deputy prime ministers, 17 ministers and two state ministers.

This is the first time in Nepal’s political history that Nepal has had as many as six DPMs.

Newly appointed deputy prime ministers and ministers took the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Oli finalised the portfolios of some ministers who were earlier appointed as ministers without portfolio. The assigned portfolios are as listed below:

• Satya Narayan Mandal (CPN-UML): Minister of Youth and Sports
• Ram Janam Chaudhary (Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic): Minister of Health and Population
• Bishwendra Paswan (Bahujan Shakti Party): Minister for Science and Environment
• Ram Kumar Subba (RPP-Nepal): Land Reform and Management
• Mohmmed Mustak Alam (Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Democratic): Minister of State for Health and Population
• Megh Raj Nishad (Madhes Samata Party-Nepal): Minister of State for Industry. Among the new cabinet members, who were named today, Chitra Bahadur KC, Sher Dhan Rai, Shanta Manavi and Anand Pokharel have become ministers for the first time.

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• Cabinet expansion very likely today
• PM Oli expands Cabinet inducting leaders from UML, fringe parties
• 3 more DPMs, 4 ministers sworn-in; total Cabinet strength is 26

UML leader Bishnu Paudel, who is just an SLC graduate will now hold the portfolio of Finance Ministry.

UML Vice Chair Ashta Laxmi Shakya, refused Prime Minister Oli’s offer of ministership.

She told THT that she was repeatedly offered a ministerial berth by the PM, but had politely declined.

“I told him that I had already become minister twice and I now wanted the PM to choose another woman leader from our party as minister,” she said, adding that she had not refused the offer because of any grudge or difference with the PM.

Some media reports had said she refused the offer as she was not give the DPM post by the prime minister.

Shakya said she advised the PM to form a very good team to enable him to overcome the challenges confronting the country at present.

“Shortage of essential commodities has had a great impact on our economy and the new government must succeed in overcoming the challenge,” she said, adding that it was important to also forge partnership with the Nepali Congress in the current coalition government.

Meanwhile, NC Central Working Committee today condemned ‘the appointment of six DPMs and the splitting of ministries in an arbitrary manner.’

NC said the government was misusing power at a time when people were having a hard time coping with the rise in prices and shortage of essential goods.