Hetauda, December 29
The ruling coalition in Bagmati Province, comprising the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, has divided political appointments for 12 provincial hospitals, extending from ministers’ relatives to grassroots party workers.
The appointees include Prakash Khadgi, husband of Congress leader and Social Development Minister Hariprabha Khadgi, who has been named chairperson of the Tokha Chandeshwori Hospital in Kathmandu.
Under the arrangement, Congress and UML each took six hospitals. Following the amendment to the Provincial Health Services Act, 2075 BS, the provincial health ministry appointed chairpersons for 11 hospitals on December 11, 22, and 23. Congress secured appointments in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Sindhuli, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, and Sindhupalchowk. UML took charge of Chitwan, Dhading, Kavre, Ramechhap, Dolakha, and Lalitpur.
Among Congress appointees, Prakash Khadgi was named chairpersom of Tokha Chandeshwori Hospital in Kathmandu, Shashijung Thapa for Bhaktapur Hospital, and Upendra Budhathoki for Trishuli Hospital in Nuwakot. Shivakumar Chitrakar was appointed chairperson of the Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine Center in Nuwakot, Bibash Shrestha for Rasuwa Hospital, and Keshavraj Giri for Chautara Hospital in Sindhupalchowk. The appointment for Sindhuli Hospital remains pending.
On the UML side, Gopal Karmacharya was appointed chairperson of Bakulhar Ratnanagar Hospital in Chitwan, Radhika Sapkota for Dhading Hospital, and Bishnu Prasad Khanal for Methinkot Hospital in Kavre. Similarly, Yam Kumar Pakhrin was appointed for Ramechhap Hospital, Subas Rimal for Pashupati Chaulagai Memorial Hospital in Dolakha, and Ramhari Ghimire for Bajrabarahi Chapagaun Hospital in Lalitpur.
Additionally, Shanti Lama was appointed Executive Director of the Province Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council (CTEVT) during the provincial cabinet meeting on December 25. Lama, a Nuwakot native, was reportedly backed by Chief Minister Shalikram Jammakattel despite Minister Khadgi’s preference for Badri Prasad Dahal. Earlier, Deepak Lama of Nuwakot was similarly appointed to the Provincial Sports Development Council with the Chief Minister’s influence.
