Cabinet gets 13 ministers

REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, Sept 5: A week after being elected the prime minister, Dr Baburam Bhattarai on Sunday expanded his two-member cabinet, inducting 13 ministers, including a deputy prime minister.

As the Mohan Baidya faction of the Maoist party did not join the government, Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha has been appointed the deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs. UCPN (M) Secretary CP Gajurel was supposed to get Shrestha´s portfolios.

The Baidya faction is likely not to join the government until the central committee resolves the dispute over the handover of the keys of arm containers to the Special Committee. However, all the major ministries have already been taken in the cabinet expansion on Sunday.

Three newly appointed ministers Post Bahadur Bogart, Barshaman Pun and Kamal Roka are close to Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal while Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Prabhu Sah are from the Bhattarai faction. Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha is the sole member from the faction he leads in the party.

The prime minister administered the oath office and secrecy to six ministers from the UCPN (Maoist) and eight ministers from the United Democratic Madhesi Front in the presence of President Dr Ram Baran Yadav amid a function at Shital Niwas.

MPRF-D minister-nominees skip oath

Two minister-nominees from Madhesi People´s Rights Forum- Democratic (MPRF-D) skipped the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday following criticism in the party over their nomination.



Sarat Singh Bhandari and Nilam Verma did not take oath of office and secrecy as party Chairman Bijay Gachchhdar had nominated them for defense and environment portfolios respectively despite strong objection from central leaders of the party.

According to sources, most of the central leaders had proposed other names as Bhandari has already served as a minister while Verma has been accused of misusing his diplomatic passport.

“Despite our protest, the chairman nominated Verma and Bhandari. The two minister-nominees did not attend the swearing-in ceremony due to protest in the party,” said a senior leader requesting anonymity. Bhandari and Verma were not available for comments.

However, Ramjanam Chaudhari, chief whip of MPRF-D, claimed the party had taken no decision to nominate Bhandari and Verma.

“Our chairman has not even consulted other party leaders. How did the names appear in the media?” Chaudhari added.



Meanwhile, the central committee of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party-Nepal (TMDP-N) has authorized Chairman Mahendra Yadav to pick minister-nominees as the party has failed to pick cosensus candidates.

Similarly, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) is yet to nominate candidate for the ministerial portfolio allocated to the party. The TMDP central committee has authorized Chairman Mahantha Thakur to nominate the ministerial candidate.

TMDP and TMDP-N have been allocated four ministries. However, only two ministers from the parties took oath of office and secrecy on Sunday.