Kathmandu - Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal
Wednesday expanded his government by inducting five new ministers.
The expansion of the cabinet came amid a continuing squabble among
political parties that supported Nepal in his election as prime
minister in the legislative assembly in May.
Nepal brought in four ministers from his Communist Party of Nepal-
Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and one from Nepali Congress,
taking the cabinet size to 22 members.
They were sworn into office by the prime minister at the
presidential palace in Kathmandu.
CPN-UML kept key ministries taking home, defence, finance and
information and communications.
The party also claimed peace and reconstruction and general
administration ministries, considered important as Nepal emerges from
a decade of conflict.
Nepali Congress took energy, irrigation and local development
along with three other ministries.
However, ethnic-based parties which played a key role in Nepal's
election as prime minister were not included, owing to conflicting
claims on important ministries.
The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party
have accused the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress of undermining their
role in the formation of a Nepal-led government and of keeping all
the major ministries for themselves.
The CPN-UML government was formed after the Maoist-led coalition
collapsed over power struggle with the president in early May.
The Maoists were angry after President Ram Baran Yadav reinstated
army chief Rupmangat Katuwal who was sacked by the Maoist-led
government.
The Maoists have accused both Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML of
acting on the advice of foreign powers to topple its government.
It has also vowed not to support the new government and have
obstructed parliament and organised strikes and demonstrations
denouncing the president.
Although the Maoists are the biggest single party in the 601-
member legislature - the Constituent Assembly - they are well short
of a majority and cannot form a government on their own.
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