Nepal PM expands Cabinet, appoints three new deputies

Kathmandu: Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli Thursday expanded his three-week-old Cabinet by inducting three new deputy prime ministers and seven ministers, bringing the total number of his deputies to a record six, in a move seen as an attempt to accomodate the demands of coalition politics.

Oli, also the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxists-Leninists), appointed his party colleague Bhim Rawal as one of his deputies. Two others were: Chitra Bahadur KC (Rastriya Janamorcha) and Maoist CP Mainali.

Bishnu Paudel has been appointed Finance Minister, Sher Dhan Rai as Communication Minister, Ananda Pokharel was made Tourism Minister while Shanta Manawi the Labour Minister -- all members of the CPN-UML.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath to the ministers at a special function held at the President's office Sheetal Niwas.

The induction of new ministers takes the strength of the Cabinet to 26- a first in Nepal's political history. Prior to this, Oli had inducted 18 ministers and two state ministers.

Top leaders of the CPN-UML at a meeting yesterday decided to give full shape to the council of ministers after holding consultations with other parties in the ruling coalition.