Ministers bidding quiet farewell as govt nears exit

KATHMANDU, March 17: With the formation of a new government expected soon, ministers of the interim administration led by Sushila Karki have begun informally bidding farewell to the ministries they have been leading.

Several ministers have started leaving their offices after thanking ministry staff. Those who have not yet formally departed have also stopped making major decisions related to staff transfers, postings and other key administrative matters. Following the elections held on March 5, the current government has effectively turned into a caretaker administration.

Most ministries appeared unusually quiet on Monday, with even ministerial offices largely empty. A senior official at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport said the formation of a new and powerful government was expected within a week.

“Within a week, a new government will likely take office. So decisions regarding staff transfers, postings or other administrative matters will no longer be taken. The minister has already thanked us,” the official said.

The current government has 11 ministers, including Prime Minister Karki. A senior official at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Nepal (OPMCM) said that, since a new government is expected within a week, the OPMCM has informally advised ministries and subordinate agencies not to make any major decisions.

Minister for Urban Development Kumar Ingnam, however, is scheduled to formally bid farewell to his ministry on March 19. According to an official at his private secretariat, Ingnam will thank ministry staff and leave the office that evening. The same source said that Ingnam had already organized a thanksgiving program for employees at the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation, another ministry he oversees, on Sunday.

A Cabinet meeting was held on Sunday, which officials believe could be the final meeting of the government led by Karki. An official at the Prime Minister’s Office said the possibility of another meeting depends on the prime minister’s decision.

“Whether the Cabinet meets again depends on the Prime Minister’s wish. If she wants, another meeting may be called. Otherwise, the chances are low,” the official said.

During Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Karki reportedly told ministers that a new government would be formed within days and asked them to prepare for their departure, according to sources at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) Nepal is preparing to submit the final results of the House of Representatives election held on March 5 to President Ram Chandra Paudel on March 19.

Assistant spokesperson of the EC, Kul Bahadur GC, said the EC aims to submit the final results to the president on that day if preparations are completed.

“Our effort is to submit the final results to the president on March 19. We are currently preparing the documentation,” GC said. “If we are unable to complete it by that date, we will submit it by March 21. There is no reason for further delay.”

Once the final results are submitted, President Paudel is expected to appoint the parliamentary party leader of the majority party, Rastriya Swatantra Party, as the new prime minister.

Senior leader Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, is likely to be appointed prime minister within a week.