Nepal's major political parties Friday in Kathmandu reached a consensus on the distribution of ministerial portfolios in the Interim Government and on forming the Interim Government on Saturday.

For the Interim Government to be formed, Girija Prasad Koirala of the Nepali Congress will be the prime minister, and there will not be any post of deputy prime minister, which was once expected to give the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M).

For ministerial portfolio distribution, the Nepali Congress will hold five ministries, namely Defense, Home, Finance, Environment Science and Technology, and newly created Peace and Rehabilitation portfolios.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) will also have five ministries, including Foreign Affairs, Education and Sports, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Agriculture and Cooperatives, and General Administration.

The CPN-M also occupies five, including Information and Communication, Local Development, Physical Planning and Works, Forest and Soil Conservation, and Women, Children and Social Welfare Ministries.

The Nepali Congress (Democratic) will bag three portfolios, namely Labor and Transport Management, Water Resources, and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

The Nepal Sadbhavana Party -- Anandidevi will get the Industry, Commerce and Supplies portfolio.

The United Leftist Front will get Land Reforms and Management portfolio.

The People's Front will get the Health ministry.

The names of the ministers will be forwarded by their respective parties on Saturday morning to be made public through parliamentary meeting scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (05:15 GMT).

As per the agreement reached between the SPA and the CPN-M on Nov. 8, 2006, the Interim Constitution should be completed by Nov. 21, 2006 and promulgated by Nov. 26, 2006, and the Interim cabinet should be formed by Dec. 1, 2006.

However, the Interim Constitution was promulgated on Jan. 15, 2007 and the formation of the Interim Government was also postponed.

Source: Xinhua