March 31: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday expanded the cabinet by including leaders of the Nepali Congress, Janata Samajwadi Party and other parties.

This is the seventh time he has expanded the Council of Ministers after being appointed the prime minister on December 25.

Prime Minister Dahal, upon the recommendation of the Nepali Congress, appointed the party’s Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka as the deputy prime minister and minister for defense. Similarly, Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has been appointed as Minister for Finance, Ramesh Rijal as Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Sita Gurung as Minister for Urban Development.

Similarly, upon the recommendation of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), Ashok Rai has been appointed the Minister for Education, Science and Technology.

Similarly, Beduram Bhusal, the vice president of the CPN United Socialist Party, has been appointed as the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, and Deputy General Secretary Prakash Jwala has been appointed as the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

Deputy General Secretary Shakti Basnet from the Maoist Center has been appointed as the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.

Deputy Prime Minister Narayankaji Shrestha has been handed over the  responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs at the expense of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure.

Sharat Singh Bhandari of the Democratic Socialist Party has been appointed as the Minister for Labour and Employment and Ranjita Shrestha of Nagarik  Unmukti Party has become the Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.

Mahindra Rai Yadav of Nepal Samajwadi Party has been appointed as the Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens.