Mounting dispute in NC delays Cabinet expansion

Published On: August 24, 2016 06:39 PM NPT

KATHMANDU, Aug 24: The ruling coalition Nepali Congress has witnessed mounting dispute on the selection of leaders to join the government.

Although the NC was said to pick the party leaders to give a full shape to the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government on Wednesday, the dispute within the NC delayed the Cabinet expansion.

The faction led by party President Sher Bahadur Deuba finalized the names while Ram Chanda Poudel's faction failed to decide 0n the names during the meeting held at Poudel's residence.

The central members and lawmakers from Poudel's sides met at Poudel's residence, but in vain. Rather, they accused President Deuba of violating party's statute and traditional norms and values while taking decisions on selecting leaders for the ministers. So the meeting for now stopped the process to select names for ministers, said central member Gururaj Ghimire.

The NC had agreed with the CPN (Maoist-Centre) that it would have 13 ministers from the party. Out of those, Poudel's faction demanded five ministries which President Deuba denied, it was learnt.

According to leader Ghimire, leader Poudel's faction has decided not to join the government if they were not awarded dignified share.

It was the prolonged general convention of Nepal Student Union earlier delaying NC's decision on selection of leaders for government, and now the dispute within factions. Earlier, the NC had sent leaders Bimalendra Nidhi and Ramesh Lekhak who are now the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, and the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management respectively.

A leader attending the meeting at Poudel's residence, Bal Bahadur KC, said the meeting also decided to urge party President to abide by party statute and tradition. "It is President Deuba's responsibility to take ahead the party in a unified manner," he added.

As party President Deuba is leaving for Singapore for treatment on Friday, preparations were made to conclude the selection of leaders to expand the government.

However, the CPN (Maoist-Center) has already sent the ministers from its sides. RSS