Butwal: The Nepali Congress (NC) has chosen its ministers for Lumbini Province, picking four members from their own party and one from another party for the five available positions. This decision has upset many within the party.
On Wednesday morning, NC and UML ministers, along with Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya, had a meeting at Provincial Chief Amik Sherchan’s office in Butwal. Leaders and workers are gathered in Butwal for the swearing-in ceremony.
In Lumbini Province, NC Parliamentary Party leader Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary and other leaders met with party President Sher Bahadur Deuba in Kathmandu to finalize the ministerial appointments.
The final list of ministers includes:
– Janmejay Timilsina from Bardiya (NC Chief Whip)
– Dhanendra Karki from Gulmi
– Saroj Thapa (Rose Rana) from Pyuthan (retained from previous term)
– Prachanda Bikram Neupane from Dang
– Badshah Kurmi from Banke
Except for Neupane, the other four ministers are from the establishment faction of the party.
Among the new ministers, Thapa from Pyuthan is the only one staying on from the previous term. Thapa is a close ally of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba and was previously the Minister for Industry and Transportation under Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary.
Some leaders from other factions within the party have said they will boycott the swearing-in ceremony, arguing that the appointments were made without proper discussion with the provincial committee. Prachanda Bikram Neupane, from a different faction, has also arrived at the office of the province chief.
Nepali Congress Lumbini Province President Amar Singh Pun has criticized the lack of consultation and coordination with the provincial committee during the selection process.
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