Koshi Province: Former Speaker Gautam set to become finance minister

KATHMANDU: Former Speaker of Koshi Province, Babu Ram Gautam, is set to be appointed as the Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning in the provincial government.

Three major parties of the ruling coalition, Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), and CPN (Unified Socialist), have forged an understanding to send one member from each party to the provincial government in the first phase. The Maoist Center has chosen former Speaker Gautam as the Minister for Internal Affairs and Planning. Similarly, the NC is appointing Pradeep Sunuwar, while the Unified Socialist is sending Kamal Prasad Jabegu to the provincial cabinet. Jabegu will be handed the physical infrastructure portfolio, and Sunuwar will be heading the tourism ministry.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new ministers was initially scheduled for 11 am. But it was postponed to 5 pm after former minister and Maoist Center lawmaker Jivan Acharya expressed interest in becoming a minister. Acharya is the son-in-law of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Chief Minister Uddhab Thapa is planning to expand his cabinet after obtaining a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly.