By Our Reporter
Rumours have been rife that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is exercising to reshuffle the cabinet to induct ministers from the two tiny ruling parties—Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janamat Party.
It has been more than two months since Ranjita Shrestha of Nagarik Unmukti Party has been trying to become the minister in the Dahal-led government. She even quarreled with her husband Resham Chaudhary and took action against some Provincial Assembly members close to Resham in a bid to support the Dahal-led government and become a minister again. But PM Dahal has not yet inducted her into the Cabinet. Likewise, Dahal has a plan to induct a minister from CK Raut-led Janamat Party.
Although the Janamt Party got the Chief Minister of Madhes after Raut joined the new coalition, the Nagarik Unmukti Party received nothing, even the post of CM in Sudurpashchim Province was denied.
Interestingly, Dahal has to remove two ministers to induct the two new ministers. Earlier, Dahal and Oli had reportedly agreed to call back one minister each, according to which Hit Bahadur Tamang from the Maoist Centre and Bhagabati Chaudhary from the UML were to be withdrawn. But later, UML refused to call back Chaudhary, which has delayed in the reshuffling of the cabinet.
Dahal may not be able to call back two ministers from his party alone, and if he does not induct the ministers from the two tiny parties, it will not make any difference to the government. When the sustainability of the government itself is uncertain because of CPN-UML chair KP Oli’s criticism of the budget and the unhappiness of the Rastriya Swatantra Party over Nepal Police Chief, Dahal may not dare to make a change in the cabinet before the House passes the budget.
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