Taskforces to submit report within 15 days; Oli, Dahal agree on 18 ministries in federal Nepal

Kathmandu / Feb 22: The two task forces formed to manage political guideline and organisational structure of the new party after unification between CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center) has been asked to submit reports within 15 days.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the CPN (Maoist Center) chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who participated in the meeting of both the taskforces held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar, today jointly directed the taskforces to submit the reports along with the unification draft, said UML Secretary Pradip Gyawali.

The party unification coordination committee had formed taskforces on February 19.

Likewise, the meeting has entrusted UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal to take leadership to prepare a political report, while the Maoist Centre leader Ram Bahadur Thapa has been tasked with undertaking the preparation of interim statute draft.

Oli, Dahal agree on 18 ministries in federal Nepal

Meanwhile, Prime Minister and chairperson of CPN UML, KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chair CPN (Maoist Center) have agreed to form the government with 18 ministries.

According to the country’s constitution, a government can form 25 ministries. While Dahal-Oli’s agreement is below the constitutional provisions, it nonetheless is more than what the previous Ministry of General Administration had recommended: 15 ministries for federal Nepal. At present, there are 31 ministries.

Both leaders have urged two separate taskforce committees to submit its report by before March 9. The report preparation taskforce is led by Madhav Kumar Nepal while the statute preparation committee is led by Ram Bahadur Thapa.

According to PM Oli’s Press coordinator, Chetan Adhikari, after the two left alliances signed a seven point agreement of Feb 19, both chairs have ordered the taskforces to submit its report highlighting organogram and political guideline of the Nepal Communist Party.

According to the Feb 19 agreement, Dahal and Oli will be co-chairs until the new party’s first general assembly takes place in another two years.

The meeting between two chairs was held at Prime Minister’s residence.