Maoist Center to get home ministry

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has decided to assign home ministry Deputy Prime Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

Shrestha is currently overseeing the physical infrastructure and transport portfolio.

The meeting of top leaders of the coalition parties held on Wednesday morning decided to give the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport to CPN (Unified Socialist). With Nepali Congress certain to get the finance ministry, the decision means Maoist Center will get the new ministry and Dahal is learnt to have promised to post to Shrestha.

The home ministry is currently vacant following the resignation of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane. Lamichhane stepped down after the Supreme Court ruled him ineligible to hold public positions due to his lack of Nepali citizenship.

As Lamichhane also lost his seat in the House of Representatives because of the court decision, he is contesting re-election in his Chitwan-2 constituency. However, even if he wins the re-election, he is unlikely to receive the home portfolio. The ruling coalition does not consider RSP as a coalition partner, even though it gave a vote of confidence to Dahal.

Meanwhile, the coalition has agreed to expand the cabinet in two phases. The parties have agreed to make appointments in some key ministries on Wednesday and give the cabinet its complete shape one week later.