Nepal: PM Oli to reshuffle cabinet; new members belonging to JSP-N to be sworn in

In a bid to accommodate the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N) members, Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli on Friday will reshuffle his cabinet. The new ministers will be sworn in at 8 pm the same day. The development comes after PM Oli and JSP-N chair Mahanta Thakur held the final leg of talks to finalize the ministries to be accorded to the new appointees. 

Confirming the same, the President's office stated, "Swear in ceremony is being held at 8 PM this evening. Janata Samajbadi Party also to go onboard the government under Rajendra Mahato's leadership."

As per reports, of the ten members inducted, eight of them have been appointed ministers while two have been appointed state ministers. Rajendra Mahato will join the government in the capacity of Deputy PM and Urban Development Minister. Among others, Sharat Singh Bhandari has been allotted the Energy Ministry, Laxman Lal Karna Land Reforms Ministry, Bimal Srivastav Labor Ministry, Anil Jha Water Supplies Ministry, Uma Shankar Argariya Youth and Sports Ministry, Chanda Chaudhary Women Children and Social Welfare Ministry, and Iqbal Miya Forest Ministry. Renuka Gurung will be Minister of State for Women Children and Social Welfare and Chandrakanta Chaudhary will Minister of State for Energy. 

The Thakur-Mahato faction of the JSP-N has stood like a rock in the recent political adventures, including the dissolution of the lower house while the Upendra Yadav led faction in the JSP-N is strongly opposed to the idea of supporting Oli, leading to a war of action and counter action between the two factions, which has sowed seeds of a split in the party.

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the Lower House

On May 29, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the House of Representatives and announced that mid-term polls will be held on November 12 and 19. This came after Bhandari rejected the claims of both Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli and opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba for government formation. While Oli claimed that he had the support of 153 lawmakers including members of the Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepali Congress president Deuba submitted signatures of 149 parliamentarians

This obviously did not add up as there are only 275 members in Nepal's House of Representatives. Based on the signatures and claims, the Nepal President affirmed that she is not going to appoint a PM as there is no concrete basis for both claimants to get a vote of confidence. After the decision was conveyed to Oli on May 28, the latter conveyed a Cabinet meeting and recommended the dissolution of the Lower House. Bhandari took recourse to Article 76(5) which paves way for the dissolution of the Parliament and fresh polls if no one is able to garner the support of a majority of the lawmakers. 

Thereafter, the Opposition alliance moved to the Supreme Court demanding the reinstatement of the House of Representatives and appointment of Sher Bahadur Deuba as the Prime Minister in line with Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. 

(Picture Credit-PTI)