Deuba hints towards removal of Maoist ministers

Oli critical towards cabinet expansion; Dahal urges parties not to worry about leftist alliance

 Top leaders of major political parties addressed the final meeting of the Parliament on Saturday.

PM and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chairman Kamal Thapa addressed the parliament meeting for the final time today.

Speaking at the final meeting of the Parliament, PM Deuba gave a clear hint towards removing ministers from the CPN (Maoist Center). Hinting towards the Maoist ministers in his cabinet, Deuba said, "The size of the cabinet might decrease in a couple of days. You will know it after five days."

His remarks come a day after inducting four ministers and four state ministers in the cabinet. Deuba, who was heavily criticized for his jumbo cabinet, defended his decision to expand cabinet size to 64 saying there was no bar to the size of the cabinet during transitional period.

Deuba also thanked President Bidhya Devi Bhandari for following constitutional procedures amid fears about swearing ceremony of newly-inducted ministers. He also said Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav had clarified the cabinet expansion would make no affect to the elections.

UML Chairman Oli, in his address, was critical towards the PM for the recent expansion of cabinet. "PM and Home Minister are enough to conduct elections. Why do you [PM] need so many ministers? I guess not to wrestle or take out a rally of ministers," he satirized.