Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has proposed eight ministries for Nepali Congress (NC) and five ministries for his party CPN (Maoist Center).
Dahal made the proposal during a meeting of top leaders of the ruling coalition held at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday evening.
He has proposed three ministries for Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the fourth-largest parry in Parliament, even though RSP did not attend the meeting.
Similarly, Dahal has offered two ministries each to CPN (Unified Socialist) and Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP).
He has offered one ministry each to Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party and Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP), while also proposing to induct one independent lawmaker as minister to his Cabinet.
“The prime minister has presented a preliminary proposal. There had been no discussion on the numbers until now. The numbers have been proposed in today’s meeting,” a leader who participated in the meeting said. “CPN (Unified Socialist) and JSP have demanded three ministries [each]. Janamat Party has demanded one minister and one minister of state. Further discussion will take place on it on Wednesday.”
During the meeting, Dahal said that three ministries should be kep aside for RSP even if it did not join the government immediately.
Dahal said that he had proposed the numbers of ministries based on his separate talks with all the parties.
The meeting also discussed the government’s common minimum program (CMP).
According to NC chief whip Ramesh Lekhak, a draft of the CMP was presented during the meeting. Lekhak said that the draft will be finalized on Wednesday and that the Cabinet will also be expanded soon.
The ruling coalition is scheduled to meet again on Wednesday morning.
