Nepalese PM expands cabinet by inducting five new ministers

Nepal on Sunday inducted five new ministers in the cabinet under the leadership of newly elected Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

The cabinet has been expanded for the third time with the appointment of five ministers representing the CPN Maoist Center party.

The newly elected ministers are Janardan Sharma, Minister for Energy, Surendra Kumar Karki, Minister for Information and Communications and Hitraj Pandey, Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development. Similarly, Dhaniram Paudel has been appointed as minister without portfolio whereas Ajaya Shankar Nayak as Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Prime Minister Dahal, who is also the Chairman of CPN Maoist Center, has already sent three party leaders in the cabinet. A six-member new cabinet was formed on August 4 including two deputy prime ministers whereas three more ministers were inducted on August 8.

With Sunday's induction, the strength of Dahal's cabinet has reached 14.

The largest coalition member, Nepali Congress, however, is yet to send additional leaders in the cabinet owing to internal row.

CPN Maoist Center, Nepali Congress, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and CPN-United are the members of the current government whereas CPN UML led by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has decided to stay in opposition.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, known as Prachanda, became the 39th prime minister of the Himalayan nation on August 3 through majority votes in the Parliament. He succeeded KP Sharma Oli, who stepped down after the parties filed no-confidence motion in the Parliament against his nine-month-old government. Endit