Nepal: Portfolios to be decided by alliance

Kathmandu, Aug 16: The three major parties in the ruling alliance including the CPN (Maoist), the CPN (UML) and the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) are meeting on Saturday, Aug 16 to decide division of portfolio in the new government lead by Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias 'Prachanda' in Nepal. A three-member team has been entrusted to finalise the ministerial portfolios for each party and the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the new government.

The alliance has so far been able to decide only a few ministries such as finance and defense for the Maoists, tourism and home for the UML and education and communication for the MJF. Speaking to reporters earlier today, UML leader Amrit Bohara said that the alliance had agreed to give nine portfolios to Maoists, six to UML and four to MJF and remaining four portfolios to smaller parties.

The team of three-party leaders will also finalise the code of conduct for the ministers of the new government according to the agreement reached earlier. The swearing-in ceremony of Prachanda has been scheduled for Monday, Aug 18.

Prachanda trounced his Nepali Congress rival and three-time premier Sher Bahadur Deuba by bagging 464 votes out of the 577 cast in the 601-strong Constituent Assembly, receiving the backing of another major Left party the CPN (UML) and the Terai-based Madhesi Rights People's Forum, Nepalnews reported.

ANI