KATHMANDU: Senior leaders of the ruling coalition have agreed to expand the cabinet only after making public the government’s minimum common program.

Earlier, top leaders of ruling coalition held a meeting in Baluwatar on Monday to discuss cabinet expansion. Nepali Congress (NC) President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Chairman Upendra Yadav took part in the discussion.

However, the leaders decided to firstly make public the minimum common program by Tuesday and then only expand the cabinet, said NC General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka.

A task force formed by the ruling coalition is preparing to submit the draft of the minimum common program to the senior leaders by Tuesday.

The seven-member task force chaired by NC General Secretary Khadka is working on the draft. “We will submit the report by tomorrow (Tuesday) evening,” Khadka said. “We have already finalized many issues.”

NC leader Ramesh Lekhak, Maoist leaders Dev Prasad Gurung and Barsha Man Pun and JSP leaders Rajendra Shrestha and Mahendra Ray Yadav are other members of the task force.

The minimum common program covers the priorities of the coalition government, government policies and programs, and implementation of federalism, among other issues.

A member of the task force added the minimum common program includes issues of supremacy of law, rule of law and amendment of constitution through consensus as well.