Bhattarai sworn in as 35th prime minister

KATHMANDU: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav today administered oath of office and secrecy to newly elected Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai at Shital Niwas.

Bhattarai, vice-chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoist, won the prime ministerial election yesterday to become the country’s 35th prime minister.

Vice President Paramananda Jha, Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi, Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang, ambassadors of foreign missions, among other dignitaries, were present during the oath-taking ceremony.

After swearing in, Prime Minister Bhattarai administered oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bijay Kumar Gachhadar.

Gachhadar is the chairman of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic, a member party of the United Democratic Madhesi Front, which backed Bhattarai yesterday in Parliament to elect him the prime minister.

Both Prime Minister Bhattarai, clad in shirt, pants and coat, and DPM and Minister for Home Affairs Gachhadar, who appeared in kurta pajama, had shunned Daura Suruwal during the swearing-in ceremony and took oath in Nepali. Nonetheless, several other dignitaries were present in traditional Daura Suruwal whose national dress status has been contested.

Former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and UML senior leader KP Oli, however, didn’t turn up at Shital Niwas today.

After he was sworn in, the new prime minister went to Kirtipur to pay tributes to the champion of the communist movement late Pushpa Lal, where he garlanded Pushpa Lal’s statue, in a move that broke the longstanding tradition of prime ministers’ visiting Shahid Gate to pay tributes to martyrs before assuming the office.

Appointments of other ministers and Cabinet expansion are likely on Wednesday, according to Prime Minister Bhattarai’s aide Bishwodip Pande.

But for Bhattarai, Cabinet expansion is going to be a tall order, with challenges ahead to pick the members for the government from his own party.

A meeting of the top Maoist leaders held today morning discussed about inducting standing committee member Dev Gurung as the finance minister and either Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha or party Secretary CP Gajurel as deputy prime minister and foreign minister. Sources claimed that Shrestha has been laying claim to either finance or foreign ministry, saying that he ‘has been cheated’.

But during today’s office bearers’ meeting, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal pitched for Gajurel as DPM and finance minister. Gajurel has never become a minister, while Shrestha, even though for a short stint, was in the Cabinet, and Gurung has been a consistent choice for the party. Dahal has been also demanding Lekhraj Bhatta and Secretary Post Bahadur Bogati’s continuation in the government and induction of Gopal Kirati.

Vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya faction is for continuing with Jayapuri Gharti and Mahendra Yadav and pulling out Khadga Bahadur Biswokarma. Top Bahadur Rayamajhi of the Bhattarai faction will continue to be a minister in the government.

Sources claimed that Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal has been claiming three ministries as it won’t get the foreign ministry this time, and therefore chances are high that they will remain outside the government as Prime Minister Bhattarai is against a large Cabinet.