SURKHET, August 29: Chief Minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi of Karnali Province has inducted two new ministers into his Cabinet. Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, Bindaman Bista and Minister for Water Resources and Energy Development, Ganesh Prasad Singh submitted their resignations on Sunday, leaving two berths in the Cabinet vacant.

According to the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Krishna Shah Acharya has been appointed as the Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, while Rato Kami has been appointed as the Minister for Water Resources and Energy Development. The meeting of the Maoist Center had decided to recall Bista and Singh and send Shah and Kami to the Cabinet.

Bista was appointed as a minister on November 30, 2021 and Singh was appointed as a minister on February 6, 2022. According to sources, they agreed to resign after the party leadership promised to give them tickets for the direct elections under the upcoming elections slated for November 20.

"Even though the party meeting had already decided on August 11, Bista and Singh had taken a stand that they would not resign until they were guaranteed direct tickets," said a Maoist MP. "They resigned later only after the party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal promised to give tickets from the area they had already won."

Those who have become ministers now will not be allowed to become MPs. There are 11 MPs from the Maoist Center in the Karnali Provincial Assembly. Among them, Pushpa Gharti Magar is the deputy speaker. With Kami and Acharya taking the oath of office and secrecy, 10 Maoist Center lawmakers have become ministers. Maoists have also made Karchen Lama of Humla, a non-MP, a minister for six months. 

 
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