Kathmandu, August 5
There are indications that the Prachanda Cabinet will not be that small, with the Nepali Congress demanding 15 portfolios, including Home and Foreign Ministries.
The Congress upped its demand on power-sharing just a day after election of CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’s as Prime Minister.
While signing seven-point understanding on the formation of a new government, Congress and the Centre had agreed on leading 13 and nine ministries, respectively.
After Prachanda’s election as PM, the Congress has demanded two more ministries, a Maoist source said.
The Congress will hold the Home portfolio, while the Maoists will be in charge of the Finance Ministry. It has said it should get the Foreign Ministry, no matter what, a source said. And now, the Congress is also demanding Urban Development, Physical Infrastructure and Transport ministries.
Earlier in the day, PM-elect Prachanda and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba were in talks on government formation. Prachanda will prepare the final list of ministers after the conclusion of the talks. The immediate plan is to form a small Cabinet comprising Congress and Maoist ministers.
Prachanda will take the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidhya Bhandari at 3 pm.
