Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada has called reports of his party CPN (Unified Socialist) changing ministers in the federal government mere rumors.
The party’s secretariat meeting on Sunday decided to change the federal ministers. Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal then reached Baluwatar with the list of new ministers to meet Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Party leaders even revealed the name of new ministers and they were scheduled to be sworn in Monday but the swearing-in ceremony doesn’t look likely to be held today.
Talking with Setopati on Monday Minister Khatiwada called the report about change of ministers mere rumors. “Changing the government and minister that have presented the budget when the budget session is ongoing does not happen anywhere in the world. How will that happen here? Haven’t market rumors finished in the market?” he asked.
He expressed ignorance about the decision to recall ministers. “I did not attend the meeting. I don’t even have information about that.”
He also refuted claims that the party had sent the ministers only for six months. He added that minister can be changed on the basis of needs but their term cannot be pre-determined for a number of days. He revealed that the Cabinet meeting is scheduled for later Monday and he would attend the meeting.
Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada, Labor Minister Krishna Kumar Shrestha, Tourism Minister Prem Bahadur Ale, Urban Development Minister Ram Kumari Jhakri and Minister of State for Health Bhawani Khapung currently represent the party, formed after splitting from CPN-UML, in the federal government.
The secretariat meeting decided to make Hira Chandra KC, Met Mani Chaudhary, Jeevan Ram Shrestha and Sher Bahadur Kunwar new ministers, according to a party source.
Chaudhary was to become urban development minister, Shrestha tourism minister, Kunwar labor minister and KC minister of state for health, according to the source. Khapung, meanwhile, was to be promoted and made a full minister at the Health Ministry where he is currently a minister of state.
