Nepal:CPN-UML ministers resign en masse

In Nepal, all ministers representing the CPN-UML have submitted resignations en masse to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday. Earlier,  CPN-UML decided to withdraw its support to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda"-led government in the wake of a renewed political equation in the run-up to the presidential election, dealing a jolt to the two-month-old ruling coalition. A high-level meeting of the party held under the leadership of party chief K P Sharma Oli on Monday decided to quit the government and withdraw the party's support. Those tendered resignation include Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Jwala Kumari Shah, Foreign Minister Bimala Rai Paudyal, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supply Damodar Bhandari, Minister for Health and Population Padam Giri, Minister for Defense Hari Upreti, Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Bhagwati Chaudhary and Minister for Land Reforms Rajendra Kumar

Meanwhile, the three parties—the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the CPN (Unified Socialist)—are now looking to finalise a new power-sharing deal, including the exact durations individual leaders will become the prime minister for.  The Kathmandu Post report said that as the three parties have decided to helm the government by turns, the ongoing five-year tenure of Parliament will see at least three governments, if their understanding holds until the next elections. The top leaders of the three parties—Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Maoist Centre, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and CPN (Unified Socialist) chair Madhav Kumar Nepal—have a tacit understanding to rotate the prime ministership between them, but party insiders have different interpretations on the duration their party will get to lead the government. report said.