Shrestha, Chaudhari, Khapung and Kunwar appointed as Ministers, KC as State Minister

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has, at the recommendation of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, appointed new ministers from CPN (Unified Socialist). On June 5, the President Madhav Kumar Nepal of CPN (US) had written to PM Deuba to replace four of its ministers. President Bhandari appointed Jeevan Ram Shrestha as Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Metmani Chaudhary as minister for Urban Development, and Sher Bahadur Kunwar as Minister of Labour, employment, and Social Security.

Bhawani Prasad Khapung, who earlier served as minister of state for Health and Populatio, has been appointed as Minister for Health and

He replaces Birodh Khatiwada. Similarly, Hira Chandra KC has been appointed as the minister of state for health and population. However, the portfolios of other ministers remain the same.

The CPN (US) had written to the prime minister on June 5 informing its decision to recall four of its ministers and replace them with new ones. However, the proposed reshuffle in the ministry was delayed as the ministers had requested the PM to give them time until they had defended their budgetary programmes in the Parliament.

Earlier on Sunday, Ram Kumari Jhakri and Prem Bahadur Ale tendered their resignations. Ale handed over his resignation to CPN (US) Chief Madhav Kumar Nepal; Jhakri wanted to tender her resignation to the PM, but Deuba told her that there was no need for it as her party had recalled her.

Ale, Jhakri, Khatiwada, and Shrestha had submitted a memorandum to the party on Friday opposing the party’s decision to recall them from the Cabinet amidst budget discussion in the Parliament.