Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inducted five new ministers into his Cabinet on Friday evening. A total of seven ministers resigned from their post earlier this week after Oli took the decision to dissolve the Parliament.
According to Ramsharan Bajgain, Press Advisor to Oli, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Prabhu Sah, Mani Thapa, Dawa Lama, and Gauri Shanker Chaudhary have been inducted into the Cabinet.
"Rayamajhi has been appointed as Minister for Energy, Sah as Minister for Labor and Employment, Thapa as Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Lama as Minister for Education and Chaudhary as Minister for Drinking Water," Bajgain told ANI over the phone.
As per the existing constitution, the Prime Minister can form a Cabinet with a total of 25 members. After the resignation of seven ministers earlier this week and one already under Oli, a total of eight posts have remained vacant.
With the latest induction into the Cabinet, Oli still can appoint three new ministers and Defense Minister by appointing a new minister.
"There have been no talks about new defense minister to be inducted into the Cabinet. Oli is looking for more suitable and trustworthy candidates for the remaining vacant positions on board," a source familiar with development informed ANI.
Earlier, Barsha Man Pun, Shakti Basnet, Giriraj Mani Pokharel, Rameshwar Roy Yadav, Bina Magar, Yogesh Bhattarai, and Ghanashyam Bhusal resigned from the post of minister.