Oli expands cabinet by inducting nine ministers

Nepal's new Prime Minister K P Oli today expanded his cabinet by inducting nine ministers including Shakti Basent who will be the Home Minister.
With the expansion, the total strength of the cabinet has reached 18.
Earlier, last week when Oli formed the cabinet it had eight ministers and one minister of state.
President Ram Baran Yadav administered oath of office and secrecy to the newly-appointed ministers amidst a special function at Rastrapati Bhawan, Sheetal Niwas.
Seven ministers from UCPN (Maoist) and one minister each from Madheshi People's Rights Forum (MPRF)-Democratic and Bahujan Samajwadi Party took oath.
From UCPN (Maoist), Top Bahadur Rayamajh took oath as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy.

Similarly, Shakti Basent from UCPN took oath of office as Minister for Home Affairs.

Five other ministers from UCPN-Maoist include Girirajmani Pokharel (Education), Umesh Yadav (Irrigation), Rekha Sharma (General Administration), Agni Sapkota (Forest) and Ganeshman Pun (Commerce and Supply).
Yadav also administered oath to Ram Janam Chaudhary of MPRF - Democratic and Bishendra Paswan of Bahujan Samajwadi Party. Both became ministers without portfolio.
There are three Deputy Prime Ministers in the cabinet. They are Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar (MPRF-Democratic) with the portfolio of Physical Planning and Transport, Rayamajhi (UCPN-Maoist) with the portfolio of Energy and Kamal Thapa (RPP-Nepal) with the portfolio of Foreign Affairs.

Gachhadar and newly appointed Minister Ram Janam Chaudhary belong to the MPRF-Democratic, which is one of the key Madhesi groups agitating against the new Constitution.
The party played a key role in the victory of Oli during the Prime Ministerial election.