Cabinet meeting underway at Baluwatar

KATHMANDU: A meeting of the Cabinet is underway at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar.

The meeting is discussing issues, including the nomination of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Vice Chairman Bam Dev Gautam and resignation of Minister for Finance, Communication and Information Technology Yuba Raj Khatiwada, coronavirus, among others, Baluwatar sources said.

According to sources, the Cabinet will take a decision to recommend Gautam to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari for his appointment as a National Assembly member.

Khatiwada had been relieved of his post as lawmaker six months ago. He had been appointed as the finance minister for six months as per Article 78 of the Constitution of Nepal.

The possibility for Khatiwada to get continuity as finance minister ended with the ruling Nepal Communist Party Secretariat meeting’s decision to take party’s Vice Chairman to the National Assembly.

With this decision, the search for a candidate for the post of finance minister has started in the ruling NCP.

According to sources, Vice Chairman Gautam, General Secretary Bishnu Paudel, Standing Committee member duo Janardan Sharma and Surendra Padey are in the fray for the post of Finance Minister.