KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is making preparations to include the Thakur-Mahato group of the Janata Samajwadi Party (SP) in his cabinet today.
According to a JSP source, top leaders of the faction are willing to join the government under Article 76 (5) of the Constitution after Prime Minister Oli fulfilled their demands one after the other.
The JSP has welcomed the ordinance on citizenship issued by President Bidya Bhandari on Sunday.
After President Bhandari issued the ordinance Sunday afternoon, JSP Chairman Mahantha Thakur, in a press statement, welcomed it materialized at his own initiative.
Thakur expressed happiness stating that millions of citizens deprived of citizenship for long will now get citizenship.
Thakur-Mahato group has been extending its support to Prime Minister Oli, even by remaining neutral, at times.
So much so that the faction did not even accept the offer to become the Prime Minister by the opposition alliance. They remained neutral saying that positive talks were underway with the Prime Minister.
President Bhandari Sunday issued an ordinance paving the way for the Thakur-Mahato faction to join the government.
The faction had been discussing a power-sharing with Oli since last the few days.
According to Baluwatar sources, Prime Minster Oli is ready to provide 10 ministerial portfolios to the Thakur-Mahato faction.
Prime Minister Oli himself has been looking after seven portfolios after the Supreme Court relieved ministers of their posts who had been appointed from CPN (Maoist Center).
It is learnt that Rajendra Mahato is likely to join the Oli-led government as the Deputy Prime Minister. Similarly, other possible names of JSP leaders of the Thakur-Mahato faction joining the government are Raj Kishor Yadav, Anil Jha and Sharad Singh Bhandari.
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