Eight additions to the Cabinet

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal this evening administered the oath of office to eight Cabinet Ministers at a ceremony organised at Shital Niwas, the President's office.
MJF Parliamentary Party leader Bijay Kumar Gachhadar has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Planning and Works, a portfolio he held in the Maoist-led government as well.
Despite opposition within the NC, Sujata Koirala, who has been nominated to lead the party in the Cabinet, was sworn in as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, a coveted portfolio. NC president Girija Prasad Koirala had held an informal meeting with senior party leaders this morning to garner support in favour of his daughter. A majority of NC leaders, including acting president Sushil Koirala, vice presidents Ram Chandra Poudel and Prakash Man Singh, had expressed dissatisfaction over GP Koirala's move to let Sujata lead the party in the new Cabinet.
Other ministers in the expanded cabinet include Dr Prakash Saran Mahat, Bal Krishna Khand, Dr Minendra Rijal, Purna Kumar Sherma and Uma Kanta Chaudhary from the NC and Dambar Shrestha from the CPN-ML. The six ministers are yet to be allotted their portfolios.
Claiming that there was no dispute within the MJF over his leadership in the government, Deputy PM Gachhadar said that his main priorities were drafting the new constitution on time, leading the peace process to a logical end and providing relief to the people. " The parliamentary party meeting had decided to join the government under my leadership. The political committee of our party today supported the decision as well. Hence, there is no possibility of an imminent split in the party," he said.
Minister Dr Mahat assured that the Cabinet would take a complete shape soon. He said that the government would focus on providing relief to the people and bringing the peace process to a logical conclusion.
Meanwhile, MJF chairman Upendra Yadav-led faction has started a signature campaign against Gachhadar. They sent a letter to the PM, alleging that the decision to appoint Gachhadar as the Deputy PM wasunacceptable to them.

Who all are in the Ministry

• Prime Minister: Madhav Kumar Nepal (CPN-UML)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Planning and Works:
Bijay Kumar Gachhadar (MJF)
• Defence Minister: Bidhya Devi Bhandari (CPN-UML)
• Finance minister: Surendra Pandey (CPN-UML)
• Foreign Minister: Sujata Koirala (NC)
• Ministers sans portfolios: Dr Prakash Saran Mahat, Bal Krishna Khand,
Dr Minendra Rijal, Purna Kumar Sherma and Uma Kanta Chaudhary (NC) and Dambar Shrestha (CPN-ML)