President Ramchandra Paudel has assigned Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ himself to look after the ministry portfolios handled by eight ministers representing the CPN (UML) in the existing Council of Ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure Raghuveer Mahaseth, following their resignation from their posts.    

Along with DPM and Minister Mahaseth, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Padam Giri, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Jwala Kumari Saha, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Balram Adhikari, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari, Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Bhagawati Chaudhary, Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation Rajendra Kumar Rai and Minister for Defence Hari Prasad Uprety, tendered their resignation to Prime Minister Prachanda in accordance with Article 77 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.  

In a communique issued by the office of the President of Nepal, the President assigned these portfolios to the Prime Minister himself on his recommendation.    

As CPN (UML) 8 ministers resigned yesterday, on the other side Rastriya Swatantra Party ministers have decided not to resign from their positions immediately though they had earlier announced to quit the government on Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, Labour Minister Dol Prasad Aryal, Youth and Sports Minister Birajbhakta Shrestha and Education Minister Sumana Shrestha of the RSP reached the prime minister’s official residence Baluwatar on the Thursday morning with a plan to submit their resignations to the prime minister.

But they returned without submitting their resignations citing the prime minister’s request for their continuity for now. As per sources, PM Dahal was planning to seek a confidence vote in the House and that he sought the RSP’s support in his plan.

By – Sweta Singh (Kathmandu)