Nepali coalition agree to appoint three deputy prime ministers

Kathmandu, Aug 3 (UNI) The group of three ruling parties of Nepal have agreed to appoint three deputy prime ministers, one each of the coalition partner -- Maoists, UML and MJF, during the cabinet expansion.

According to the agreement, Finance Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav and UML leader Bam Dev Gautam, who did not take oath in the first phase of cabinet expansion last week demanding second position after prime minister, will be the deputy prime ministers.

Maoists will have ten ministries, including the defence and finance, UML six with home and MJF four, including foreign affairs.

There is a clear majority of the Communist parties in the present 601 member Constituent Assembly with 227 seats of the Maoists an 108 of the UML. Other small leftist parties have about 20 seats.

The second largest party Nepali Congress, Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party among others, have not joined the government.

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