Province Government Faces Internal Strife Amidst Minister Reshuffle

Dhangadhi. The CPN-UML is in turmoil over the issue of changing ministers in the Sudurpashchim Province. On Monday, while the ruling Nepali Congress changed all its ministers, the coalition partner CPN-UML got entangled in internal conflict.

Although preparations were made to change the ministers of both parties simultaneously, the swearing-in of UML ministers was stopped at the last moment. UML's Sudurpashchim Province Assembly members and cadres chanted slogans against their own party leaders and padlocked the party office.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah has tried to quell the long-standing internal dispute within the Nepali Congress through a cabinet reshuffle. On Monday, three new ministers and two state ministers from the Congress took the oath in the Sudurpashchim Province government.

Minister of Economic Affairs Bikram Singh Dhami, Minister of Social Development Bel Bahadur Rana Magar, and Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Man Bahadur Rawal took the oath and assumed their responsibilities. Similarly, Madhu Bharti and Juna Dani took the oath as state ministers.

After the swearing-in ceremony, the newly appointed ministers expressed confidence that the internal dispute would be resolved and the government would gain momentum. Supporters and cadres of the new ministers exchanged pleasantries.

While there was joy in the Congress, Monday was tense for the CPN-UML. On Sunday, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli had called Chief Minister Shah and UML Parliamentary Party Leader Rajendra Singh Rawal and instructed them to recall the current ministers and send a new team.

As per Oli's instructions, Chakrabahadur Malla, Damanbahadur Bhandari, Santoshkumari Sharma Thapa, and Janaki Airi Bam were being prepared to be made ministers. As soon as this news became public, there was a flood of congratulations for them. Preparations for the oath-taking were also completed at the Chief Minister's Office and the Provincial Chief's Office by Monday afternoon.

बजेट घोषणाको मुखैमा सुदूरपश्चिम सरकारका मन्त्री फेरबदलः बजेटमा कस्तो पर्ला असर ?

Suddenly, the decision changed around 4 PM on Monday. UML Chairman Oli's secretariat called Parliamentary Party Leader Rajendra Rawal again and gave a new instruction to keep the current ministers as they are because it is budget time, leaving the leaders ready to become ministers disappointed. After this decision by Chairman Oli, there was a dispute within the UML.

The cadres became angry after the leaders who were about to become ministers were stopped. Slogans were chanted against him, accusing the Parliamentary Party Leader Rajendra Singh Rawal of making unilateral decisions and providing incorrect reports to the center. Angry cadres also vandalized Rawal's nameplate outside the party office.

The Provincial Party Office of the CPN-UML in Dhangadhi was also padlocked. Those proposed for ministerial positions and their supporters considered this move an insult to them. According to sources, the CPN-UML in Sudurpashchim is currently in disarray due to clashes between a faction within the party wanting to send new ministers and another faction wanting to retain the old ones.

According to UML sources, Province In-charge Damodar Bhandari and Parliamentary Party Leader Rajendra Rawal, among other leaders, were in favor of continuing with the old ministers. The disgruntled faction alleges that they activated leaders like General Secretary Shankar Pokharel and forced Chairman Oli to change his statement at the last moment. "We were insulted like this at the last moment after being congratulated that we were about to become ministers," said one MP who was in contention for a ministerial post.