Cabinet portfolios divided, Maoists get five berths

The day-long discussion at Baluwatar has finalised cabinet berths in the interim cabinet, which will have the representation of the Maoists.

According to reports, Nepali Congress, UML and Maoists will get five berths each; NC-Democratic will get three berths whereas People's Front (PF), United Leftist Front (ULF) and Nepal Sadbhavana Party – Anandidevi (NSP-A) will get one berth each.

The reports add that there will be no deputy prime minister in the interim cabinet. As per the understanding, the NC – apart from keeping the Prime Minister's post – will bag Defense; Home; Finance and newly created Peace and Rehabilitation portfolios. The UML will bag Foreign Affairs; Education and Sports; Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Agriculture and Cooperatives and General Administration portfolios.

The Maoists will bag Information and Communication; Local Development; Works and Physical Planning; Forest and Soil Conservation and Women, Children and Social Welfare portfolios.

NC-Democratic will bag Labour and Transport Management; Water Resources and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs portfolios.

The NSP-A will get the Industry, Commerce and Supplies portfolio; ULF will get Land Reforms and Management; and PF will get Health portfolios.