The Nepal Congress (NC) has decided to require at least eight ministries including the Ministry of Finance.
NC Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka informed the meeting of party officials that the party claimed it as the largest party in the House during meetings with Prime Minister (PM) Pushpa Kamal Dahal and other coalition leaders.
NC Chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba had asked Khadka to report to the NC meeting held on Saturday on the progress of negotiations in the coalition. “We have decided to hold a coalition discussion with the position of eight ministries,” an NC leader who attended the officials’ meeting told Setopati.
But Dahal has been urging NC to help by agreeing to seven ministries, according to Khadka, noting that he has to satisfy 11 parties.
All parties in the House, except CPN-UML, RPP and the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, voted for the government during the floor test, and all those who voted for Dahal, except Rastriya Janamorcha Party, are eager to join the government.
Deuba is trying to send Khadka, who has already announced he would never become a minister again, to lead the NC contingent as deputy prime minister overseeing the finance or defense ministry, according to the headline.
Deuba is preparing to send Prakash Man Singh May to lead NC ministers if Khadka refuses to become minister.
NC has created standards for ministers saying they must represent all seven provinces and be inclusive. NC leaders have been saying that the big party should try to get as many ministries as possible and competent legislators should be given the chance.
Prime Minister Dahal is looking to expand the cabinet soon and has been holding talks with coalition leaders in recent days.
The Cabinet currently has four ministers and one state minister from the CPN (Maoist Centre) led by Dahal and a minister from the Janamat Party with Prime Minister Dahal overseeing 16 ministries after the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the RPP and the CPN- UML will leave the government.
