When Prime Minister Sushila Karki was appointed on September 12, she was committed to an 11-member cabinet, and initially appointed only three ministers - Rameshwar Khanal (Finance), Kulman Ghising (Energy, Physical Planning, Transport, etc.), and Om Prakash Aryal (Home and Law).
The cabinet was first expanded on September 22 with Anil Kumar Sinha (Industry, Commerce and Supply; Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation), Mahabir Pun (Education, Science and Technology), Madan Pariyar (Agriculture and Livestock Development), and Jagdish Kharel (Communication and Information Technology).
With the addition of two more ministers, even though a total of four ministers were planned to be appointed, today (October 26), the cabinet size, including the Prime Minister, reached ten members.
While the decision to appoint Khagendra Sunar as Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security failed due to legal issues, Ganapati Lal Shrestha refused to accept the portfolio of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, preferring Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
The new ministers from this expansion, Sudha Gautam (Health and Population) and Bablu Gupta (Youth and Sports), were sworn in as ministries previously held by PM Karki.
Key ministries still with Prime Minister Karki include Labor, Employment and Social Security, Tourism and Civil Aviation (initially planned for Shrestha), Foreign Affairs, and Defense.
The Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation ministry, which Shrestha was offered, is currently held by Minister Sinha. Karki plans to assign these important ministries, including Land Management, Tourism, and Labor, as soon as suitable candidates are available. However, if she remains committed to an 11-member limit, crucial portfolios like Foreign Affairs, Defense, Women, Children and Senior Citizens, and Water Supply may remain with her.
Sources suggest the Prime Minister intends to keep Foreign Affairs and Defense with her, recognizing their significance in external relations and diplomacy.
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