The secretariat meeting of ruling CPN scheduled for Saturday afternoon has been postponed.
CPN Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha told Setopati that the meeting has been postponed until Sunday afternoon. The meeting is expected to discuss remaining unification works, Cabinet reshuffle and recent political appointments by Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli.
PM Oli's unilateral decision to recommend three envoys has riled opponents in the ruling party.
The Cabinet meeting on Thursday recommended PM Oli's chief economic advisor Yuba Raj Khatiwada for the post of Nepal's ambassador to America, Lok Darshan Regmi, who resigned from chief secretary Thursday itself, to the Great Britain and Nirmal Bishwokarma to South Africa.
"Political appointments or recommendations for appointments should have been discussed in the secretariat as per the decision of standing committee meeting. But the secretariat had no information about the decision to recommend envoys. I don't think the issue was discussed even between the two chairmen," a secretariat member confided with Setopati. "He arbitrarily made political appointments against the decision of standing committee."
The standing committee meeting on September 11, as part of the truce brokered between the warring chairmen, had decided that political appointments will be made on the basis of discussion in secretariat and consultation between the two chairmen. It had also decided that the maxim that the government will be run as per policy guidance by the party will be effectively implemented.
"Decisions about reshuffle of federal Cabinet and political appointments will be taken on the basis of discussion in secretariat, and consultation and agreement between the two chairmen, and constitutional and legal provisions," the standing committee meeting's decision stated.
Khatiwada, who also filled in as the government spokesperson and communication and information technology minister since Gokul Baskota resigned over the audio tape alleging him of dealing for bribe, had resigned as finance minister on September 4. He was then appointed as an advisor with perks and benefits of a minister.
Sources claim that PM Oli had asked Regmi to resign before his term was to end and the latter put appointment as envoy to Britain as a condition for that. Had Regmi served until his term ended on October 19, Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi, who was named the new chief secretary during the Cabinet meeting Thursday, would have retired on October 8.
