Differences delay cabinet formation
POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, May 1 - Following some differences over allocation of key cabinet positions and on the issue of taking oath of office at the Palace among the seven party alliance, the much-awaited cabinet formation was delayed by a day on Monday.
Differences among the parties surfaced as Nepali Congress wanted the deputy of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala from the same party while CPN-UML wanted second position in the cabinet along with Home and Defense Ministries.
Nepali Congress wanted to send party general Secretary Ram Chandra Poudel as the prime minister's deputy due to Koirala's poor health.
NC leaders claimed they wanted Defense and Home Ministry for the party to ensure good coordination among security agencies at this crucial time.
"We are not fighting for any post at this moment but it is our opinion that the ministries related to security should be with a single party," a senior leader of Nepali Congress said.
The CPN-UML, however, insisted that all the key ministries should not go to a single party. "If NC wants to retain all the key ministries like Home, Defense, Information, Foreign Affairs and Finance, we will support the government from outside," said a senior CPN-UML leader.
In the evening, Standing Committee meeting of CPN-UML decided not to wrangle for any post and to support the government but wanted formulation of code of conduct for the government.
The communist allies in the coalition also claimed that another difference among them was related to some Nepali Congress leaders' arguments for going to the palace for the swearing-in ceremony.
Earlier in the morning, top leaders of the parties agreed in principle to limit the cabinet members to 21.
They had agreed that Nepali Congress and CPN-UML be given five ministries each, NC (Democratic) three, and one each for the other small allies that would send at least a name for the cabinet from their parties by Monday evening. People's Front Nepal and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party leader said in the meeting that they would decide whether to join the cabinet or not only after holding their party meetings.
The parties except United Left Front and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (A), however, did not send the names till late evening, leading to delay in the process. "We were expecting the names till evening but they (other parties) delayed sending the names," the NC leader said.
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