{"id":22952,"date":"2026-08-16T10:00:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T04:15:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=22952"},"modified":"2026-08-16T10:00:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T04:15:57","slug":"ncp-struggles-to-pick-ministers-as-sudurpaschim-government-expansion-and-budget-remain-in-limbo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=22952","title":{"rendered":"NCP Struggles to Pick Ministers as Sudurpaschim Government Expansion and Budget Remain in Limbo<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dragon Media Correspondent<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although Khagaraj Bhatt, parliamentary party leader of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), has been appointed the fifth Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province, the provincial government has yet to attain full shape as his party remains unable to finalize its ministerial nominees. The delay in government expansion is also expected to affect efforts to resolve the province\u2019s prolonged budget impasse.<\/p>\n

Bhatt, who was appointed Chief Minister on Friday morning, took the oath of office and secrecy from Province Chief Nazir Miya later in the day. Soon afterward, on the basis of a list submitted by CPN-UML parliamentary party leader Rajendra Singh Rawal, Bhatt recommended the appointment of three ministers and one minister of state.<\/p>\n

Province Chief Miya appointed Santosh Sharma Thapa, deputy leader of the UML parliamentary party, as Minister for Social Development; Chakra Bahadur Malla as Minister for Economic Affairs; Daman Bahadur Bhandari as Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives; and Janaki Air Bam as Minister of State for Economic Affairs.<\/p>\n

All four took the oath and assumed office on Friday.<\/p>\n

While the UML promptly nominated ministers for the portfolios allocated to it, the NCP, which leads the government, has yet to select ministers from its own ranks. As a result, Chief Minister Bhatt had to convene the first meeting of his Cabinet with only the UML-appointed ministers present.<\/p>\n

The first Cabinet meeting decided to expand dialysis services in provincial hospitals. Although the government began its tenure with a decision focused on the health sector, delays in completing the Cabinet could affect broader administrative and policy work.<\/p>\n

The main difficulty facing the NCP is the allocation of ministerial positions among lawmakers who previously belonged to the Maoist Centre, the Nagarik Unmukti Party and the CPN-Unified Socialist before joining the unified party structure.<\/p>\n

Bhatt has yet to appoint ministers to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.<\/p>\n

Competition is reportedly intense within the NCP for the three ministerial and two minister-of-state positions that remain available. The former Nagarik Unmukti Party faction has been seeking two ministries. Discussions are now reportedly focused on allocating one ministry together with a minister-of-state position to the former Nagarik Unmukti group, a similar arrangement to the former Maoist faction, and one ministry to the former Unified Socialist group.<\/p>\n

However, the large number of aspirants within the former Maoist Centre has made consensus more difficult. The party\u2019s central leadership has asked the Sudurpaschim provincial committee to recommend the names of those seeking ministerial positions.<\/p>\n

NCP Sudurpaschim in-charge Bhanu Bhakta Joshi has said the provincial government is likely to be expanded within two or three days. He said the provincial committee would send the names of aspirants to the central leadership on Sunday and that the Cabinet would be expanded after the final decision is made at the centre.<\/p>\n

Sudurpaschim Province has been facing a budget vacuum since the beginning of the current fiscal year after the previously presented budget failed to secure approval. The situation has affected the province\u2019s regular financial activities, placing pressure on the new government to introduce a budget quickly and restore fiscal normalcy.<\/p>\n

However, if the government remains preoccupied with ministerial selection and internal power-sharing, the budget process could face further delay. For Chief Minister Bhatt, therefore, the immediate challenge is not only to complete the Cabinet but also to move beyond internal political bargaining and end the province\u2019s prolonged budget uncertainty.<\/p>\n

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