Lumbini State cabinet yet to get full shape

KATHMANDU: It has been nearly a month since the Lumbini State government was formed but the cabinet is yet to get full shape.

Chief Minister Leela Giri formed a three-member cabinet after assuming office on Jan 12.

Chetnarayan Acharya from CPN-UML and Krishna KC from Maoist Center were the other two ministers in the cabinet.

Giri, who was appointed as the Chief Minister on Jan 11 took the vote of confidence from the State Assembly on Jan 19.

However, the expansion of the Cabinet was delayed after Jokh Bahadur Mahara, the leader of the Parliamentary Party of the CPN (Maoist Center), the ruling coalition member party, was bereaved of his mother.

According to Chief Minister Giri’s Secretariat, the government is working to expand after the cabinet after the National Assembly elections. National Assembly election will be held in Lumbini State on Feb 8.

Mahara, the leader of the Maoist Center Parliamentary Party, also said that the government will get full shape only after the National Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Giri has discussed with his coalition partners on the issues of government expansion, minimum common program of the government and other related issues.

Central member of CPN-UML and member of State Assembly Bhumishwar Dhakal also says that the State government will be expanded soon after the National Assembly elections to be held tomorrow.

Chetnarayan Acharya, Minister and spokesperson of the government, says that the council of ministers will be given full shape within the next few days.

He said the delay was due to the need to establish Deukhuri as the State capital and set for required physical infrastructure for the same.

With the decision to slash the number of ministries in the State, the cabinet is likely to be a 10-member cabinet including the Chief Minister.