After Failed Power-Sharing Deal, Nepal PM Prachanda Likely To Expand Cabinet Today

<p>Nepal's ruling alliance made up of 10 parties was unable to come to an agreement on a power-sharing deal, leading to another delay in the expansion of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda".</p> <p>The alliance's leaders met at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar to discuss the allocation of ministries among political parties. According to officials, power-sharing and the distribution of ministerial portfolios were the major stumbling blocks for members of the ruling alliance, as the number of Cabinet posts available was exceeded by the demand for them.</p> <p>Surya Kiran Sharma, the Press Coordinator for the Prime Minister, has announced that Prachanda is now expected to expand his Cabinet on Friday. Nine out of the 10 parties in the ruling alliance are likely to join the council of ministers. Currently, there are only six Cabinet ministers in the Prachanda-led government, including the Prime Minister and one minister of state, as ministers from CPN-UML, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and Rashtriya Swotantra Party had resigned from their positions after the seven-party coalition broke up.</p> <p>Earlier this month, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' won the second-floor test and received a confidence vote in Parliament. In the House of Representatives, which has 275 members, Prime Minister Prachanda won 172 votes. One legislator abstained, and 89 others voted against him.</p> <p>Dahal was elected prime minister on December 25 with the support of parties like CPN-UML. On January 10, he received an overwhelming 268 votes for a vote of confidence. His party, the CPN Maoist Center, the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, the Rastriya Samajwadi Party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, the Janata Samajwadi Party, the CPN Unified Socialist, the Janamat Party, the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, and the Nagarik Unmukti Party, in addition to the independent MPs Prabhu Shah, Amresh Kumar Singh Nepal Workers and Peasants' Party and Rastriya Janamorcha did not vote.</p>

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