Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba Thursday made public the first 13 members of his council of ministers after four days of internal haggling in the ruling Nepali Congress to assemble a united party government.
King Gyanendra announced the government formation on the recommendation of Deuba who was appointed Sunday, a Royal Palace announcement said.
Chiranjibi Wagle has been appointed minister for Physical Planning and Works as the second man in government. Khum Bahadur Khadka, a powerful factional leader who backed Deuba in Sunday’s election, has been given the home and local development portfolios as the new prime minister moves to hold talks with Maoists to end nearly six years of a communist insurgency that has claimed nearly 1,800 lives.
Dr.Ram Sharan Mahat continues as finance minister. Mahesh Acharya, confidant of outgoing prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, was stripped of his defence ministry portfolio and given charge of the inconsequential agriculture ministry.
Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola who challenged Deuba in the government leadership is out but another Koirala relative and confidante Amod Prasad Upadhaya has been retained in the new government as education minister.
Deuba will look after the foreign , defence and several other ministries pending the expansion of the government in the second phase. P.L.Singh, a close aide of late Ganesh Man Singh, has been inducted in the government for the first time as minister for environment.
Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta staged a comeback as minister for communications.
According to a Royal Palace notice, followings are the names of members of cabinet and their portfolios:
Names
Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of General Administration, Ministry of Industries, Commerce and Supplies, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Land Reforms and Managements, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, Ministry of Science and Technology
Chiranjibi Wagle- Minister 3. Khum Bahadur Kahdka- Minister 4. Bijaya Gachhadar-Minister 5. Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat- Minister
Chiranjibi Wagle- Minister
Ministry of Physical Planning and Works 3. Khum Bahadur Kahdka- Minister
Ministry of Home and Ministry of Local Development 4. Bijaya Gachhadar-Minister
Ministry of Water Resources 5. Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat- Minister
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives 7. Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta-Minister
Ministry of Information and Communication 8. Prem Lal Singh-Minister
Ministry of Population and Environment 9. Sarat Singh Bhandari-Minister
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation 11. Gopal Man Shrestha-Minister
Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation 12. Amod Upadhyaya- Minister
Minister of Education and Sports 13. Palten Gurung-Minister
Ministry of Labour and Transport Management
All ministers are of cabinet rank.