Prime Minister (PM) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has started preparations for Cabinet expansion after passing the floor test on Tuesday with whopping 168 votes including those form Nepali Congress (NC) lawmakers.
Dahal had quit the coalition with Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Unified Socialist) on December 25 and became PM with support of CPN-UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party, RPP, Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), Janamat Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party after NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba refused to make him PM first.
He had picked eight ministers when he was sworn in the next day but some of those ministers still remain without any portfolio. He has already picked three deputy PMs including Bishnu Paudel from UML, Narayan Kaji Shrestha from his party CPN (Maoist Center) and Rabi Lamichhane from Rastriya Swatantra Party while RPP Chairman Rajendra Lingden is also demanding four ministers including a DPM.
He reached Balkot Wednesday evening to discuss Cabinet expansion and other issues with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli.
"Dahal will hold separate discussions with coalition partners about Cabinet expansion. Meeting of the coalition will also be held. The Cabinet will be expanded soon," a source close to PM Dahal told Setopati.
