Maoists to finalize party's ministers Wednesday

KATHMANDU, May 4: The Maoist factions close to Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and Dr Babuarm Bhattarai have submitted the name lists of the party leaders to Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal for ministerial berths in the current coalition.



At the top office bearers´ meeting on Tuesday, Dahal had asked leaders to recommend ministerial nominees from their respective factions. [break]



Sources said Bhattarai faction has proposed Dinanath Sharma and Prabhu Sah and the Baidya faction has proposed Dev Gurung, Jayapuri Gharti and Mahendra Paswan for ministers. Of the 11 cabinet ministers in their share, the Maoists are yet to nominate seven ministers.



According to sources, Hit Bahadur Tamang and Ram Charan Chaudhary are almost certain to join the cabinet from Dahal faction. Among other probable names from the Dahal faction are Shakti Basnet and Agni Sapkota.



Similarly, Gurung and Gharti from the Baidya faction are almost sure to join the government, while one of the two names from the Bhattarai faction is likely to get the ministerial portfolio.



Girirajmani Pokharel who is close to Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha is also likely to get a ministerial portfolio.



The Maoist party has the share of 11 state ministers in the coalition. The last Central Committee (CC) meeting of the Maoist party has handed over the task of finalizing the name-list of the party´s leaders to join the government to the party chairman.



"We submitted our names to the chairman today and he is likely to finalize the list Wednesday morning," said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha.



The party´s meeting on Tuesday also forged political programs to mobilize the masses for "peace and constitution" from May 15 to May 25. As per the program, the party´s various wings will be active and hold rallies and functions as pressure tactics to extend the CA´s term.



"The programs are aimed at defeating the conspiracies hatched by anti-revolutionaries to dissolve the CA and stall the peace process and constitution drafting," said Shrestha.



The meeting also decided to step up talks with other political parties, mainly the Nepali Congress (NC) on power-sharing, CA term extension, preparation of the first integrated draft of the constitution, modality for integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants.

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