Preparing to split the ministry in Lumbini and Far West to settle the division

UML's announcement that it will not enter the government immediately has pushed his plan to secure a vote of confidence.

In Lumbini's 10-member cabinet, Chief Minister Jokh Bahadur Mahara has assigned 6 non-departmental and 3 ministerial responsibilities. Chief Minister Mahara has kept 7 ministries with himself. In the game of preserving power, one independent member of the state assembly has also become a minister, while the United Socialist Party, which has one parliamentarian, is also claiming to be a minister. The Janata Samajwadi Party, which has three MPs, and the Civil Liberation Party, which has four MPs, also got one minister each. UML with 29 MPs has 5 and Maoists with 11 MPs have taken 2 ministries including the Chief Minister.

In the government, Mahara is the chief minister from Maoist and Dipendra Kumar is the health minister again. Chetnarayan Acharya, deputy leader of the parliamentary party from UML, has become the Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning. There are 4 other non-departmental ministers. Similarly, Jaspa's Bhandarilal Ahir has become the Minister of Agriculture and Land Management, while Civil Immunity's Dharma Bahadur Chaudhary, UML's Dinesh Panthi, Arjun Kumar KC, Bhumishwar Dhakal and Ratna Bahadur Khatri and Independent MP Khadg Basnet are non-departmental ministers. Jaspa and Civil Immunity are increasing the pressure by demanding one more ministry. Similarly, the United Socialist Party is warning that it will form a different coalition if it does not get a minister. Jaspa and Civil Immunity are also supporting his warning. Even within the Maoists, the dispute is increasing after not getting one more ministry.

Lumbini Chief Minister Mahara is trying to give a ministry to the United Socialist Party and add one more minister from the Maoists. Doing so will increase the number of ministries in Lumbini to 12. On the other hand, UML has been expressing disagreement saying that if more than 10 ministries are given, criticism will increase. Health Minister Pun, who is also the spokesperson of the government, said that adding one or two ministries when there are small parties in the government and the structure of the government is also different, it cannot be linked to the financial burden of the government. "There is general preparation for the addition of ministries, but no conclusion has been reached," he said, adding one/two ministries will not have a big impact, rather it will be easier to work .

UML's Chief Whip Tulsi Prasad Chaudhary says that there should not be a situation where ministries are increased just for the sake of making ministers when there is increasing criticism on the state structure itself. "The situation is stagnant due to economic recession, the development speed is zero," he said.

The alliance has also finalized the leadership of 6 thematic committees and one privilege committee in the Lumbini state assembly. They have become more angry after the minor parties were not included in the thematic committee. Rajkumar Chaudhary, chief whip of civil liberties, commented that the government did not discuss the formation of the committee. "The government didn't even give a minister as per the previous agreement, there was no discussion when selecting the leadership of the subject committee," he said UML (29), Maoist (10), Civil Immunity (4), Jaspa (3), United Samajwadi Party (1) and one independent voted for 48 votes of confidence. In the 87-member provincial assembly, the number of 4-member RPP has remained at 86 after one member was suspended. Congress with 27 members, LOSPA with 3/3 members, Janamat, RPP and Rashtriya Janamorha with one member are in opposition.

Amidst the ups and downs between the parties represented in the state assembly, Sodari of the United Socialist Party, who was appointed as the Chief Minister of the Far West, is currently being approached for cabinet expansion. He is finding it difficult to arrange the ministry share in the allied parties. The Sodari government has the support of UML, Maoists, Civil Liberties (Ranjita Shrestha Group) and Independent MPs. The attractive ministries of the supporting party and their own claims on the number are also bothering Chief Minister Sodari. On the other hand, the UML's announcement of not going to the government immediately, even though it supported it while submitting the claim, has also created confusion.

On Friday, despite participating in the Bhagbanda-focused discussion, UML has indicated that it will not join the government immediately. It is understood that UML's internal strategy is not to support Chief Minister Sodari, who is focused on fixing the stake. The reason for that is the by-election to be held in Bajhang. According to an MP of the party that supported Sodari as the chief minister, UML has given a vote of confidence immediately and if he participates in the cabinet, the chief minister has accounted for the possibility of playing in the Bajhang 1 (1) by-election.

'Therefore, the UML is seen in the strategy of keeping the integrated socialist and the chief minister under pressure until the completion of the Bajhang election,' said the MP, 'after receiving the vote of confidence and participating in the government, naturally the chief minister will move indirectly in the election.' MPs did not want to comment on this. The UML MPs have already left for Kathmandu on Saturday for the National Representative Council meeting. Parliamentary Party leader Rajendrasinh Rawal had earlier said that he will participate in the government only after the instructions of the party.

The ruling parties have almost agreed to split the ministry to reconcile the stakes. Preliminary discussions between them have started on Friday. According to a pro-government MP, almost all parties agree to split the ministry. "Discussions are going on about which ministry will be split and who will get how many ministers," said the MP. According to him, discussions are going on to split the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Social Development.

At present, there are seven ministries in Sudurpaschim Province, including the office of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers. There is a constitutional provision that a maximum of 10 ministers can be appointed in the state government. Homework is being done to increase the existing six ministries to at least eight. With only 6 ministries, Chief Minister Sodari has the obligation to deliver shares to all parties. On the day the Chief Minister took oath, two MPs of Civil Liberties, Kailash Chaudhary and Tika Thapa, tried to swear in as non-departmental ministers. But Thapa is dissatisfied after they took a stand with an immediate ministry and only Chaudhary was given the physical infrastructure development ministry.

She mentioned on Friday through social media that she will no longer be a minister and will not even support Sodari. According to MPs, the main supporting parties UML and Maoist Center have their eyes on the Ministry of Economic Affairs. "UML is in the stance that it should get three ministries including economic affairs," said a Maoist MP, "Our party's claim is also in at least two important ministries including economic affairs."