KATHMANDU, June 27: Minister for Physical Infrastructure an Transport Raghubir Mahaseth has ruled out the immediate possibility of a cabinet reshuffle. He said the reports of cabinet reshuffle were just rumors.

“Not that it will never happen. It's up to the party to decide. I haven't seen such possibility at the moment,” Mahaseth told reporters at a function in the capital. He said media reports about possible changes in the cabinet were 'rumors which have been making the rounds ever since the cabinet was formed.'

Mahaseth's remarks come at a time when some leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), especially from the erstwhile Maoist Center, have been hinting at possible changes in the cabinet within the next few weeks.

On Wednesday, NCP leader Devendra Paudel had hinted at cabinet reshuffle.

“It is necessary to reshuffle the cabinet for effective performance,” said Paudel. Last week, NCP Co-Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal had also hinted at the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle.

Leaders said that there are still some differences between Oli and Dahal over the names of ministers to be inducted in the cabinet.

Oli aides say that the prime minister has already prepared a list of the underperforming ministers to be replaced in the reshuffle. Those in the danger zone include Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Yadav, Minister for Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives Chakrapani Khanal and Minister for Youth and Sports Jagat Bahadur Sunar Bishwakarma.

Mahaseth himself and Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Lal Babu Pandit are also reportedly in the list of underperforming ministers.

 
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