The cabinet expansion has hit hiccups with new political developments and due to differences among the coalition partners, the leaders say.
Further cabinet expansion and confirmation of portfolios to the ministers looks still uncertain, said Shankar Pokharel, secretary of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist).
In the rainbow coalition, the largest ruling party Nepali Congress (NC) has sent six leaders to the cabinet but only Sujata Koirala has got a portfolio. Only two leaders from CPN-UML Bidya Bhandari as defense minister and Surendra Pandey as finance minister -- have joined the cabinet.
The UML has called standing committee meeting, which is expected to name the ministers, for Monday morning.
When asked why UML is dilly-dallying in finalizing the candidates, Pokharel said the party had earlier decided to recommend the names only after finalizing power-sharing deal among the coalition parties.
Meanwhile, UML leaders are set to meet with Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) leaders on Monday on portfolio sharing, Pokharel said.
The UML has almost reached a power-sharing deal with the NC. But the UML is yet to get final decision from NC President Girija Prasad Koirala. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal visited Koirala on Sunday morning. He also consulted UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal on cabinet expansion. The NC has demanded some more time for homework in the party over the matter, according to Pokharel.
A senior NC leader said no progress was made on Sunday.
"We are trying to settle the issue with TMDP, NC and other parties -- if not with Madhesi People´s Rights Forum -- by Monday," he said. It shows that the cabinet expansion will take a few days.
Meanwhile, a senior UML leader close to General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel claimed that both prime minister and Chairman Khanal have requested the general secretary to take charge of the Home Ministry. But, he is yet to give the final words to the top leaders. Other leaders to be inducted in the cabinet from the party are yet to be finalized. Only the name of Shankar Pokharel is unanimous so far, the leader said.
thira@myrepublica.com
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