The cabinet meeting this morning was suspended after the Maoist ministers walked out of the meeting.

Reports say they walked out of the meeting after the Prime Minister and Maoist ministers had differences over ministerial jurisdictions. Maoist ministers had objected the Prime Minister’s advice that concerned ministers would be fully responsible for matters related to their respective ministries.

Meanwhile, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel claimed that the cabinet meeting had been postponed on technical reasons.

Reports say that as soon as the ministers prepared to sit for the cabinet meeting at Baluwatar, the Prime Minister expressed dissatisfaction over the remarks made by Forest Minister Matrika Yadav where he accused Nepali Army of felling trees and killing endangered animals. The PM reminded Yadav that issues concerning army should be first brought to his attention as he holds the Defense Ministry portfolio. Yadav, however, insisted that it was under his jurisdiction. Later, the Maoist ministers walked out of the meeting prompting the Prime Minister to announce that the cabinet would now remain suspended until further notice.

Maoist ministers later briefed party chairman Prachanda about the misunderstanding between them and Prime Minister Koirala.

Earlier in the morning, senior Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai had directed his party’s ministers on how they should present their case at the cabinet meeting. On Tuesday, chairman Prachanda, too, had directed the Maoist ministers on how to implement party’s policies and provide relief to the people. At that meeting, the Maoist ministers were learnt to have complained that they were finding it difficult to work with bureaucrats with ‘old mindset’ and political appointees made by previous ministers in various government agencies under their ministries. There are five ministers from the Maoist party in the current cabinet. They include Information and Communication Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Local Development Minister Dev Gurung, Forest and Soil Conservation Minister Matrika Yadav, Works and Physical Planning Minister Hisila Yami and Women, Children and Social Welfare Minister Khadga Bahadur Biswakarma.

This morning’s cabinet meeting was to discuss crucial agendas such as Constituent Assembly elections; intensification of violence in Terai, electoral constituency delineation issues, appointment of ambassadors in vacant diplomatic missions and universities, among others.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shanker Mukherjee visited Baluwatar and held a meeting with the PM. He is learnt to have discussed the recent political developments and uncertainty surrounding the CA polls.