The first cabinet meeting of Lumbini Province Government chaired by Chief Minister Lila Giri. (File Photo)
BUTWAL: Chief Minister Lila Giri has been unable to expand his cabinet due to differences over sharing of portfolios among coalition partners.
CPN-UML leader Giri was appointed as Chief Minister on January 11. Although it has already been 12 days since his appointment, he has been unable to give full shape to his cabinet.
Ruling coalition partner CPN (Maoist Center) had staked its claim for the post of Chief Minister from the beginning. Since it didn’t get the post, the party has been demanding that the finance portfolio should be given to it.
But the two parties have been unable to forge a consensus on the issue.
Giri has the support of the Maoist Center, Rastriya Prajatantara Party (RPP), Nagarik Unmukti Party, Janamat Party and two independent province assembly members. After Janata Samajwadi Party and Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) also gave their confidence vote to Giri on the condition of joining the government, the number of parties in the coalition has increased to seven.
The federal government’s decision to lower the number of ministries to nine from 13, however, has affected Giri’s cabinet expansion plan. “It is taking time as we have fewer ministries, but too many aspirants,” government spokesperson Chet Narayan Acharya said. “But this coalition will serve for its full term.”
He also said talks among coalition partners have been affected due to the demise of the mother of Maoist Center’s parliamentary party leader Jokh Bahadur Mahara. According to Acharya, the cabinet could get the full shape by the end of this month.
Chief Minister Giri in Kathmandu
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Giri is in Kathmandu to hold talks with top leaders of coalition partners.
Sources say Maoist Center leaders are unhappy with the UML because of the latter’s denial to give the finance portfolio to the Maoists. “Since we didn’t get the post of chief minister, our demand for the finance portfolio shouldn’t be seen otherwise,” Sudahrshan Baral, chief of Maoist Center’s Lumbini Province Committee, said.
According to Baral, the cabinet will be expanded after Chief Minister Giri returns from Kathmandu.
The federal government’s decision to lower the number of ministries to nine from 13, however, has affected Giri’s cabinet expansion plan.
Who is sending whom?
Outgoing Chief Minister Kul Prasad KC formed a 17-member cabinet, including four ministers of state, after UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel’s government fell with the split of the Nepal Communist Party two years ago.
Pokharel had initially formed a five-member cabinet but later expanded it to 10 including a minister of state.
While UML has made claims for four ministries including the chief minister, Maoist Center is saying that it should be given three ministries including finance. RPP, Janamat Party and Nagarik Unmukti are seeking one ministry each. JSP and LSP are also hopeful of getting at least a ministry each as they have also given a confidence vote to Giri.
Bhumehwar Dhakal, Bishnu Panthi, Dinesh Panthi and Bhoj Prasad Shrestha are the minister hopefuls from UML. The chances of Dhakal and Shrestha appear slim, according to party leaders.
Similarly, Maoist Center’s parliamentary leader Jokh Bahadur Mahara is prepared to become finance minister in Giri’s cabinet. Indrajit Tharu, Dipendra Pun Magar and Dhana Bahadur Maskey are the other aspirants in the party. Magar, who joined the party winning the election as an independent candidate, believes he will get the party’s nod. Similarly, many Maoist leaders are lobbying for Maskey.
Janamat Party is almost certain to send CK Gupta to Giri’s cabinet, while Nagarik Unmukti and RPP are in internal discussion.
