KATHMANDU, June 11: The Gandaki Cabinet has been expanded with Panindra Devkota and Rajiv Gurung (alias Deepak Manange) appointed as new ministers. Both have taken oath of office and secrecy.
Devkota has been appointed to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Drinking Water, while Manange has been appointed to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.
Nepal Samajwadi Party MP Panindra Devkota, who was elected using the Maoist election symbol, voted in favour of Surendra Raj Pandey despite being the party whip. Devkota, who currently serves as chairman of the Social Development Committee of the provincial assembly from the Maoist ticket, claims to be a provincial assembly member of a different party. He crossed the floor to give a vote of confidence to Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey, securing his ministerial post.
Rajiv Gurung, the Manangi MP who had said he would support the MP who was expected to secure a majority in the 60-member assembly, was appointed infrastructure minister for the second time by Pandey. Manangi was appointed minister on April 17 as part of Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey’s strategic move to consolidate power after withdrawing support for the Maoists.
Overall, this will be Manangi’s sixth time serving as minister in Gandaki Province.
Nepali Congress leader Surendra Raj Pandey was appointed prime minister on May 26 after a Supreme Court order required the largest party to appoint a prime minister. Previously, CPN-UML leader Khagraj Adhikari held the position until he was removed. Adhikari’s appointment was initially upheld by a speaker’s vote, but was later annulled by the Supreme Court.