Nepal ruling coalition reaches deal over power sharing

In a major breakthrough, Nepal's ruling coalition partners on Saturday sorted out the vexed issue of portfolio distribution and power sharing after they 'tentatively agreed to a deal' to give the 20-day-old CPN-UML government a "full shape" by Sunday.

Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) agreed for a deal to expand the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led Cabinet, sources close to the coalition said.

The strength of the Cabinet is likely to be 25. The NC President Girija Prasad Koirala and Prime
Minister Madav Nepal held a meeting and agreed to distribute key portfolios among themselves, Congress sources said.

"We have agreed to give the 12-member government a full shape by expanding the Cabinet on Sunday," CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal said.

The UML will keep Defence, Finance, Home, Communication and Tourism portfolios while the NC will be given Water Resources, Foreign Affairs, Local Development, Parliamentary Affairs, Health and Labour ministries, party sources said.

UML central leaders Bhim Rawal, Shanker Pokharel, Ravindra Shrestha and Raghubir Mahaseth are likely to be inducted in the Ministry. The UML has already two ministers in the Cabinet. NC also has six ministers including Koirala's daughter Sujata Koirala with Foreign Affairs portfolio.

Tags: maoists and nepal communists, Nepal crisis

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