Gupta said Prime Minister Khanal appointed ministers from his own party in the ministries claimed by MPRF while the Maoists have staked claim to other ministries sought by the party. [break]
According to him, his party had staked claim for Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Local Development, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labor. Though Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labor are vacant, the Maoists have staked claim to these ministries and the prime minister is unlikely to give the portfolios to MPRF.
“Though there was an agreement to share ministries on the basis of mutual understanding, the prime minister has ignored our claims for specific ministries,” Gupta said. Now we are in a fix over whether to join the government or not, he said
In the meantime, the prime minister has also turned down MPRF´s claim to appoint its Chairman Upendra Yadav as the seniormost deputy prime minister, according to Gupta.
“Though the prime minister will appoint Yadav as deputy prime minister, he is going to be junior to [Deputy Prime Minister] Bharat Mohan Adhikari,” Gupta said.
Gupta further said his party has fallen in another trap as well. “Our party is going to be used as a tool for realizing the political goal of the Maoists -- to garner two-thirds majority in the Constituent Assembly,” he said.
“Now we see no way to escape from this trap,” Gupta said.
Related story
Two women arrested in Kathmandu for honey trap scheme
