NC returns to Karnali government after five-month hiatus

Surkhet: The Karnali Province government is now fully formed, as Chief Minister Yamlal Kandel completed his Cabinet on Sunday. With the addition of four new ministers from the ruling Nepali Congress party, the 8-member Council of Ministers is now in place.

The new ministers are Rajeev Bikram Shah as Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning, Ghanshyam Bhandari as Minister of Social Development, Bijaya Budha as Minister of Water Resources and Energy, and Suresh Adhikari as Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forestry, and Environment. 

Province head Yagya Raj Joshi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers. This marks the Congress party's return to the government after a five-month absence.

The formation of this government aligns with the Congress-UML coalition at the central level. Previously, UML's parliamentary party leader Kandel served as Chief Minister, with Sher Bahadur Budha as Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development and Binod Kumar Shah as Minister of Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperatives. Chief Minister Kandel has retained the portfolio of Internal Affairs and Law, while Gamata BK has been appointed as Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development.

Since being appointed Chief Minister with Maoist support five months ago, Kandel has reshuffled the cabinet three times and is now preparing to seek a vote of confidence in Parliament for the second time on Monday. The Congress-UML alliance has for the first time pushed the Maoists into opposition in Karnali Province since its establishment.