KATHMAN DU, Nov 10: Members of Prime Minister KP Oli's secretariat and advisors have started to resign from their respective positions as part of an understanding to resign en masse and make it easier for him to run the government with a new sprint.
One member of Oli's secretariat said they have made up their minds to pave the way for Oli to appoint a new team after sensing that the prime minister is trying to move ahead with a new spirit through massive changes in his administration. At a meeting of secretariat members and advisors held on Friday evening in presence of the prime minister, they reached an understanding to resign en masse so that he could pick a team that is capable enough for work as per his new spirit.
Based on this understanding, some secretariat members picked from the party rank and file have already resigned while the remaining aides and advisors are supposed to do so within a week as agreed.
“Some have already resigned while others will put their signatures on paper soon as we have reached an understanding not to continue beyond mid-November,” said a member of the secretariat requesting not to disclosing his identity.
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At Friday's meeting all of Oli's aides and advisors except Chetan Adhikari and Rajesh Bajracharya agreed to resign by mid-November.
PM Oli has expressed his dissatisfaction with some of the aides and advisors, saying they were not doing enough to fend off growing criticism of the government .
Party insiders say Oli, who is facing widespread criticism for failing to deliver on election promises, is unhappy with the working style of his secretariat and cabinet. His dissatisfaction surfaced during recent meetings, it is learnt.
Party leaders say PM Oli will make changes in the cabinet as well shortly after making new appointments to his kitchen cabinet.
Among the kitchen cabinet Bishnu Rimal is working as chief advisor whereas Rajan Bhattarai is foreign affairs advisor and Kundan Aryal press advisor. Additionally, PM Oli appointed Achyut Mainali as public relations advisor, Asgar Ali as information technology advisor and Ramsaran Bajgain as a press expert. Indra Bhandari is working as a personal assistant .
The unnamed secretariat member said the prime minister could re-appoint some people if he thinks their presence in the secretariat is essential. It's not yet clear who will get new appointments .
The PM was reportedly miffed with aides and advisors when conflicting information was disseminated about his admission to Grande Hospital . And a section of party leaders have been criticizing Rimal for not giving them adequate access to Oli .
Questions were raised in the media about information technology advisor Ali regarding his conflict of interest in dealings with private sector IT firms.
