KATHMANDU: Rabi Lamichhane and senior leader Balen Shah are holding ongoing discussions on government formation and the selection of leaders to be sent to the government.
According to party sources, top-level discussions within the Rastriya Swatantra Party have been underway since March 19 regarding the selection of ministers and key parliamentary positions.
Soon after providing orientation training to newly elected lawmakers, Lamichhane and Shah also held discussions with vice presidents DP Aryal and Swarnim Wagle at a hotel in Durbar Marg. Since then, the two leaders have continued consultations, though other senior leaders have not yet been formally included in the talks.
Shah is scheduled to take the oath of office on March 27. The party’s secretariat and central committee meetings are expected to appoint him as parliamentary party leader and also announce the names of leaders to be sent to the government.
Party treasurer Lima Adhikari said the discussions between the two leaders have not yet been formally shared with the secretariat. Other leaders also said they expect to be briefed after Wednesday evening.
Sources said the leaders are studying potential candidates for ministerial roles and responsibilities. While agreements have been reached on some ministries, discussions are still ongoing on others. There are also discussions on forming either 18 ministries or reducing the number to 15.
Possible ministerial faces
Several names are being discussed within the party for key ministries. Swarnim Wagle is seen as almost certain to become finance minister.
For the home ministry, DP Aryal and Sunil Lamsal are reportedly in contention. There is also speculation that current home minister Om Prakash Aryal could be nominated to the National Assembly, though approval from the Office of the President of Nepal is yet to be confirmed.
Other names under discussion include Biraj Bhakta Shrestha for the tourism ministry, Shishir Khanal for foreign affairs, and Ganesh Parajuli for industry. Amaresh Singh could also be included in the cabinet.
For the law ministry, either Sobita Gautam or Sulav Kharel is being considered. If Gautam does not become speaker, she could be appointed chief whip. Pratima Rawal is seen as a strong candidate for whip.
For the health ministry, the names of Toshima Karki and Lekhjung Thapa are under discussion. Indira Rana Magar is considered a likely candidate for the women, children and social welfare ministry.
In the youth and sports ministry, Bablu Gupta and Sudan Gurung are being discussed. For the energy ministry, the name of Sagar Dhakal and other experts has surfaced.
Shah is also expected to prioritize close associates for the communications ministry, with Jagdish Kharel and Sasmit Pokharel among those discussed.
Party sources say efforts are also being made to ensure representation of Dalit, Indigenous, Tharu, Muslim, and Madhesi communities in the cabinet.
There is strong support within the party for giving DP Aryal a major responsibility. If consensus is not reached on the home ministry, he could be nominated as Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal, according to party sources.
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