NC agrees to join Koshi government with four ministries

ITAHARI: CPN-UML and Nepali Congress (NC) have reached a power-sharing agreement in Koshi Province. According to the deal, NC will secure four ministries in the government led by UML leader Hikmat Kumar Karki.

Additionally, it has been agreed that NC will assume the government leadership once its President Sher Bahadur Deuba becomes Prime Minister.

NC leader and provincial assembly member Bhim Parajuli confirmed that his party will take four ministries in the UML-led provincial government.

The leaders finalized the agreement on ministry allocation and government leadership changes during a meeting in Kathmandu on Saturday. Chief Minister Karki, NC’s parliamentary party leader in Koshi Province Uddhab Thapa, and other leaders of the two parties attended the meeting.

UML Chairperson KP Sharma is leading the federal government at present. As per the agreement with NC, he will step down after 20 months, allowing NC President Deuba to become the Prime Minister. Under this agreement, NC will also assume the Chief Minister’s role in the province once Deuba becomes Prime Minister.

According to Parajuli, NC will get the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Tourism, the Ministry of Health, and either the Ministry of Social Development or the Ministry of Agriculture.

NC, however, has yet to finalize the names of its ministers. The party is likely to join the government by Monday, according to Parajuli.