National
RJPN leaders express differing views on selecting ministers in Province 2
Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) is struggling to pick names of ministers in the Cabinet of Province 2. RJPN presidium members are unable to forge consensus on the criteria for selection of ministers.Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) is struggling to pick names of ministers in the Cabinet of Province 2. RJPN presidium members are unable to forge consensus on the criteria for selection of ministers.
Two Madhes-based parties RJPN and Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal (SSFN) are forming government in the province.
SSFN has already decided to appoint Mohammad Lal Babu Raut as the Chief Minister of the province. His oath taking ceremony has been fixed for February 15.
But the RJPN has differing opinion regarding selection of ministers. Some of the RJPN leaders argue that only those victorious in the elections should be picked as ministers while another faction says that winners under Proportional Representation category too should be picked for ministerial posts.
“As the party could not reach consensus regarding the selection of ministers, there is a high chance that RJPN will not send any ministers in the first phase of Cabinet formation,” said a party source.
SSFN and RJPN have agreed to form a seven-member Cabinet in the first phase. As per the agreement, SSFN will take CM, Internal Affairs, Finance and Agriculture while RJPN will take Physical Infrastructure, Industry, Tourism and Social Development Ministries.
RJPN Presidium member Mahendra Raya has stood firm on nominating only directly elected candidates to ministerial posts, but Anil Kumar Jha and Raj Kishor Yadav have pitched the selection of ministers even from the PR category saying that they have equal status as that of directly elected candidates.