Nepali political parties reach consensus on Interim Gov't name list

Nepal's major political parties Sunday in Kathmandu reached a consensus on the appointment of ministers to the to-be-formed Interim Government.

Some party leaders are heading for the Interim Parliament. The Interim Government is expected to be formed at noon.

Nepali major parties' leaders held a meeting in Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's residence Baluwatar, Kathmandu Sunday morning. A Baluwatar source told Xinhua the name list of ministers appointed by the Seven-party Alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) has been approved by PM Koirala.

The most openly talked difference lies between PM Koirala's Nepali Congress (NC) and one of the duo, the No. 2 party in the Interim Parliament, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist- Leninist) (CPN-UML). PM Koirala was heard to express his dissatisfaction over CPN-UML's nomination of Sahana Pradhan to lead the party in the Interim Government.

The reason for that is not clear, but the local leading media group's website eKantipur reported on Saturday "a mismatch in the ministerial hierarchy gave rise to the differences between the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML which forced today's meeting to end inconclusively."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is regarded as the strongest portfolio in the cabinet, next to the post of Prime Minister, while 79-year-old Sahana Pradhan is not so politically active in the last years.

The standing committee meeting of CPN-UML Saturday morning decided to send Sahana Pradhan as party team leader in the Interim Government to be in charge of Foreign Affairs portfolio.

However, a Baluwatar source told Xinhua on Sunday that Shana Pradhan will still represent UML as Foreign Minister in the Interim Government, but she will not act as senior minister in the to-be-formed cabinet, Ram Chandra Poudel from the NC will be the senior minister, second to prime minister, in the cabinet.

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 but failed due to the above-mentioned reason.

According to 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 delayed.

Source: Xinhua