Himal Press 
POKHARA: Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have reached an understanding to split ministries to accommodate more members in the Gandaki cabinet.
The cabinet led by Surendra Raj Pandey of Nepali Congress currently has seven members.
“As per the understanding reached with UML, NC will get five ministries while UML will get four,” NC CHief Whip Nanda Prasad Neupane said. “The ministries will be split and new ministers will be sworn in by Sunday.”
The two parties, however, have not reached an understanding on the sharing of ministries yet.
Earlier, UML’s Chief Minister Khagaraj Adhikari had increased the number of ministries to 12. Although Pandey earlier lowered the number to seven, he has now agreed to increase the number to nine.
NC and UML formed a new coalition in the center about two months ago. The two parties have also said province governments among themselves. As per the understanding reached between the two parties, NC will lead the coalition government in Gandaki. However, UML has not joined the Gandaki province government yet due to a lack of consensus on power-sharing even though it has nearly been two months since the new coalition was announced.
Joshi also said Chief Minister Pandey plans to include Fanindra Devkota of Npeal Samajbadi Party and Independent Member Rajiv Gurung, who earlier extended their support to form a government under his leadership, in the new government.
