Kathmandu: Prime Minister Jhalanath
Khanal on Thursday inducted three ministers from his communist party
even as he failed to finalise a power sharing deal with his
main ally Maoists, more than a week after he was elected as
Nepal`s new leader.
60-year-old Khanal today administered the oath of
office and secrecy to CPN-UML leaders Bharat Mohan Adhikari,
Bishnu Poudyal and Gangalal Tuladhar after several rounds of
discussion with UCPN-Maoist which ended inconclusively, party
sources said.
Adhikari was appointed the Deputy Prime Minister while
Poudyal and Tuladhar are yet to be allocated portfolios.
Tuladhar has been named the government spokesman.
Khanal was elected as the new prime minister by the
Constituent Assembly after 17 rounds of election.
However, the two main allies - CPN-UML and the Maoists
- have failed to arrive at an understanding over the
distribution of portfolios.
UCPN-Maoist, the largest party in the House is
demanding important portfolios, including the home ministry.
The Maoist decided not to join the cabinet today as
their demand for the important home ministry portfolio was not
yet fulfilled.
"We will not join the cabinet today as our demands are
not fulfilled," said Maoist spokesman Dinanath Sharma.
The negotiations between the Maoists and the CPN-UML
will continue after the formation of a mini-cabinet, he added.
The Maoists and the CPN-UML are blaming each other
for the delay caused in the cabinet formation and sources said
Khanal`s party is unwilling to give the Home and Defence
portfolios to the former rebels.
The Maoists have blamed the CPN-UML for the delay in
cabinet formation, saying that the latter did not implement a
seven-point pact reached with them.
None of the main political parties have a majority
in parliament, with the new government dependent on the
support of the Maoists.
PTI
