Kathmandu: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly-appointed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda at a special ceremony held today at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas.
With this, the CPN (Maoist Centre) Chair Dahal took oath as the 44th Prime Minister of Nepal and this is the third time that he has taken up the responsibility of the Chief Executive.
President Bhandari had appointed Dahal to the post of Prime Minister on Sunday.
Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, outgoing Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, and Acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Hari Krishna Karki were present on the occasion.
Also present in the swearing-in ceremony were former Prime Minister and CPN (UML) Chair KP Sharma Oli, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chair Madhav Kumar Nepal, former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, among other dignitaries.
The Heads and officials of the Constitutional Bodies, leaders of various political parties, heads and representatives of the diplomatic missions based in Nepal and media people, among others were present on the occasion.
Eight-member Council of Ministers formed
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has formed an eight-member Council of Ministers including three deputy Prime Ministers.
The cabinet comprises Bishnu Paudel as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Narayankaji Shrestha as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and Rabi Lamichhane as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs.
Paudel represents the CPN-UML, Shrestha the CPN (Maoist Centre) while Lamichhane is the President of the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party.
Other members of the cabinet include Jwala Kumari Shah, Damodar Bhandari, Rajendra Kumar Rai and Abdul Khan. Their portfolios are yet to be decided.
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