Nepali Congress indecision delays Cabinet expansion

KATHMANDU: Internal differences over the names of ministerial nominees from the Nepali Congress, a major coalition ally, has delayed the expansion of Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government.
It was expected that Prime Minister Dahal, on Wednesday, would induct ministers from the Nepali Congress to give full shape to his government.
But the largest party in the Parliament, Nepali Congress, failed to make final list of nominees today also, thanks to factionalism and differences between Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and leader Ram Chandra Paudel.
It is said that Deuba has already chosen ministers from his faction. Expressing discontent over the number of ministers and their portfolio that it would get, the Paudel faction, however, decided not to send any lawmakers lending support to Paudel to the Cabinet and thereby forcing the party president, Deuba, to withhold the final recommendation for Cabinet expansion.
In a meeting held at Paudel's personal residence in Bohoratar, they criticised Deuba's modus operandi concluding it was not at a par with the party's tradition and made the decision not to take part in the government for now, Rastriya Samachar Samiti reported quoting lawmaker Gururaj Ghimire.
The Parliament had elected the Maoist chairman as KP Sharma Oli's successor on August 3. He assumed his office the following day, forming a mini-Cabinet incorporating other five ministers -- two from Nepali Congress and three his party, CPN Maoist Centre.
Nepali Congress had sent Bimalendra Nidhi as the second man and Ramesh Lekhak as a senior minister to the Cabinet when Prime Minister Dahal formed the government on August 4.
Dahal expanded his Cabinet twice, first inducting nominees from two fringe parties and later more ministers from his party.
Earlier, Nepali Congress President Deuba had bought his time to make recommendations owing to the general convention of party's students union.
The Cabinet currently has 18 members, including Deputy Prime Minisers, 11 ministers and four state ministers.
Nepali Congress, which is to get lion's share as per the power sharing deal between Deuba and Dahal, has to send 11 more ministers to the Cabinet.

SN
Name
Portfolio
1.
Prime Minister
Puspa Kamal Dahal
Industry; Commerce; Defence; Urban Development; Foreign Affairs;Women, Children and Social Welfare Development;
Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation; Water Supply and Sanitation;
Labor and Employment; Education; Forest and Soil Conservation;
Peace and Reconstruction; Health;
Livestock Development ; General Administration; Irrigation;
Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation;
Science and Technology
2.
DPM Bimalendra Nidhi
Home Affairs
3.
DPM Krishna Bahadur Mahara
Finance
4.
Minister Ramesh Lekhak
Physical Infrastructure and Transportation
5.
Minister Janardan Sharma
Energy
6.
Minister Deepak Bohara
Supplies
7.
Minister Gauri Shankar Chaudhari
Agricultural Development
8.
Minister Daljit Shrepaili
Youth and Sports
9.
Minister Bikram Panday
Land Reform and Management
10.
Minister Jayadev Joshi
Population and Environment
11.
Minister Hitraj Panday
Federal Affairs and Local
Development
12.
Minister Surendra Kumar Karki aka Ram Karki
Information and Communications
13.
Minister Dhaniram Paudel
Without portfolio
14.
Minister Ajaya Shankar Nayak
Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs
15.
State Minister Shreprasad Jawegu
Federal Affairs and Local
Development
16.
State Minister Satya Narayan Bhagat
Energy
17.
State Minister Radhika Tamang
Agricultural Development
18.
State Minister Dhana Maya Bika
Without portfolio
Source: OPMCM