PM Oli reshuffles cabinet; inducts nine new faces

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Oli on Wednesday reshuffled his cabinet with a revamp aimed at boosting public support.

The reshuffle, which followed a series of meetings with Nepal Communist Party (NCP) senior leaders, including party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal this week, has seen seven new ministers being introduced.

PM Oli has removed cabinet ministers, including Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Raghubir Mahaseth; Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration, Lalbabu Pandit; Minister for Labor, Gokarna Bista; and Minister of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Tham Maya Thapa Magar.

In his key move, PM Oli has picked Basanta Nembang as Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport; and Hridayesh Tripathi as Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration.

Likewise, Moti Dugar will be given the responsibility of Industry and Commerce Ministry; and Parbat Gurung as Minister of Women, Children and Senior Citizens.

Ghanashyam Bhusal has been given the responsibility of Agriculture Minister.

Lekhraj Bhatta has been given the responsibility of Industry Ministry, and Rameswor Raya Yadav has been appointed as the Minister for Labor. Similarly, Nawaraj Rawat and Rambir Manandhar have been given the responsibility of the Ministry of State for Health and Population and the Ministry of State for Urban Development, respectively.

The newly-inducted ministers will be sworn-in tomorrow, Baluwatar sources have said.

Likewise, Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav’s portfolio has been given to Bhanubhakta Dhakal, who was serving as the Law Minister. Yadav has been given the responsibility of Law Ministry.

The portfolios of Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ishwor Pokhrel, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Energy Minister Barsa Man Pun, Communication Minister Gokul Baskota, Drinking Water Minister Bina Magar, Education Minister Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, and Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai and other ministers have remained unchanged.