Nepal: four Unified Socialist ministers sworn in

In Nepal, prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has reshuffled his council of ministers. Four new  cabinet Unified Socialist ministers were included on Monday while  minister of urban development Ram Kumari Jhakri and minister for labor, employment and social security Krishna Kumar Shresthahas resigned from the post. President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy of four newly-appointed cabinet ministers and one minister of state  in Kathmandu on Monday.  As per Khabar Hub report, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, President Bhandari on Sunday appointed Metmani Chaudhary as Urban Development Minister, Jeevan Ram Shrestha as Tourism Minister, Sher Bahadur Kunwar as Labour and Employment Minister, and Bhawani Khapung as Health Minister. After the swearing in of the ministers, the newly-appointed Minister of State for Health and Population Hirachandra KC took oath of office and secrecy before Prime Minister Deuba at Sheetal Niwas in the presence of President Bhandari. This was the first expansion sfter Deuba took ovrt as PM in July last year. 

According to the Kathmandu Post, though the Standing Committee of the Unified Socialist had decided to change the ministers on June 5, the decision had run into controversy. After the ministers defied the party decision and some six lawmakers upped the ante against the leadership, party chair Madhav Kumar Nepal had come under pressure. The ministers, however, resigned on Sunday, paving the way for Deuba to appoint new ones. The Unified Socialist was formed in August last year after splitting from the CPN-UML. The party has 24 members in the House or Representatives.