Koshi cabinet now has five members

Newly-appointed Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Kedar Karki, has expanded his three member cabinet by inducting one minister from Nepali Congress and one from UML on Monday soon after his oath taking.

Provincial Governor Prashuram Khapung administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shamsher Rai from Nepali Congress and Ram Bahadur Rana Magar from CPN-UML on the recommendation of CM Karki, according to Nepali Congress sources. This is for the first time that the Nepali Congress and the opposition CPN-UML came closer following the dissolution of K.P. Oli led government and break up in the Communist Party of Nepal

The chief minister is yet to allocate portfolio to the two newly appointed ministers. After NC’s Kedar Karki got appointed as the chief minister of Koshi with the support of the largest party in the same province, tension has flared up within Congress between NC leader Shekhar Koirala camp and Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba faction. Although speculations are being made in relation to the effects of the Koshi government on the centre, the top leaders of the ruling coalition have dismissed the idea. Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak told media, “This is an internal matters of Nepali Congress to discuss and resolve. However, we are against the decision of excluding CPN-MC.” “It is not in the rule that we can’t include UML in our provincial government. But Maoist Centre should also be part of the government,” he pointed out. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC President and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Shekhar Koirala have put their signature on a paper note saying declaring that their stance is not going to affect the alliance at centre under any circumstance. CPN-UML Chairperson and former prime minister KP Sharma Oli has said that his party supported the rebellion Congress in Koshi to prevent the mid-term polls in Koshi.