KATHMANDU, June 8: Ram Chandra Paudel-led faction of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has expressed serious dissatisfaction with the party president and prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba over what it described as an opaque deal on government formation and ministers selection.

A meeting of senior leaders close to Paudel held at Anamnagar, Kathmandu on Wednesday morning had decided to lodge strong dissatisfaction with Deuba as their faction was not represented in the inter-party negotiations held with other parties including the CPN (Maoist Center). Paudel faction alleged that Deuba had tried to run the party unilaterally as they were not even informed which ministries NC was keeping for itself in the power-sharing deal.
 
NC General Secretary Shanshank Koirala; Treasurer Sita Devi Koirala; former general secretary Prakash Man Singh; leaders Ram Sharan Mahat, Dilendra Prasad Badu, Minendra Rijal, Mahesh Acharya and Bal Bahadur KC were among those present at the meeting called by Paudel. Most leaders including General Secretary Koirala had criticized the party president alleging that he failed to run the party on the basis of any system or established principles.
 
While demanding at least 40 percent of the total ministerial portfolios that NC would be getting as per the power-sharing deal, the meeting had decided not to send names of ministers from the faction until the party leadership informed it about the number and names of ministries that NC would be getting. “The meeting decided to recommend ministerial candidates based on the ministries that Paudel faction would be offered,” said Paudel's personal aide Chiranjibi Adhikari. 

Upon learning that Paudel faction had held a separate meeting to express their dissatisfaction, Deuba had personally called Paudel on the phone. Deuba had assured Paudel that he would address all their grievances and share ministerial portfolios in dignified manner.
 
Deuba and Paudel factions are scheduled to sit together on Thursday to share ministerial portfolios between them. Paudel faction has insisted that they should be given at least 40 percent of the total ministerial portfolios in NC's share including one deputy prime minister.

 
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