Government employees at the ministries said that they have been staying put at their respective ministries till late evening since Sunday, to be on hand to welcome new ministers in case a cabinet expansion materializes. And that thanks to media reports, the politicians saying every day that “a cabinet expansion is likely today” and the prime minister´s own public commitment to expand the cabinet by Sunday.
They are compelled to be at their respective ministries as politicians in contact with them tell them every day that the “cabinet expansion and swear-in is likely by late evening.”
“We, including Chief Secretary Dr Bhojraj Ghimire, were at the office till 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. We were here till late evening on Monday also. We finally left the office after hearing news that the political parties could not agree on a power-sharing deal,” said a government official at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) about the agony of the wait.
The cabinet expansion has been delayed as political parties have continued to differ over ministerial portfolios.
Ghimire, accompanied by other cabinet officials carrying official letter pads, were at the Prime Minister´s Residence at Baluwatar throughout Monday and till late evening in case the cabinet did take full shape, said another government official.
“We do not know how many more days we have to be at the ministries till late evening in expectations of a cabinet expansion at last. We cannot leave the ministries since politicians in touch with us said a cabinet expansion is likely by late evening,” said a government secretary.
Ghimire and other cabinet officials were there ready to dispatch a letter to the President about appointment of the ministers and to make arrangements for swearing in new ministers in case the cabinet got full shape. They finally left Baluwatar after the parties failed to reach any consensus, said another OPMCM official.
“I have to be at the office till late evening even today since my haakim (boss) told me that the cabinet expansion is likely today. How many more days do I have to be at office till late evening?,” asked Office Assistant Raju Dahal, talking to a colleague at the OPMCM at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
As Dahal entered the chief secretary´s office, his colleague, who does not want to be identified, said Dahal spent the whole night at the OPMCM Sunday as it was already too late to return home after waiting all day for a cabinet expansion.
“I am going (home) early today. I cannot wait till late evening today (Tuesday),” he said.
A government secretary told myrepublica.com that he and senior colleagues have been at the ministry hoping the cabinet would be expanded and they would be able to welcome a new departmental minister. Same has been the situation with other secretaries and senior officials at other ministries since Sunday.
“The bouquets meant for the new minister have started to wither,” one secretary said pointing out bouquets in one corner of his office Tuesday.
One could see a basketful of the bouquets at the reception desk of the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation on Monday and Tuesday. The ministry had arranged for the bouquets on Sunday.
“Now we have to order fresh bouquets,” said one official.
kiran@myrepublica.com
Related story
RSP ministers vacate quarters despite continued support for gov...
_20230226123652.jpg)
