KATHMANDU: Chetnarayan Acharya, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, expanded his cabinet today by swearing in eight provincial MPs from the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. The new ministers include Bhumishwar Dhakal, Dinesh Panthi, Badshah Kurmi, Dhanendra Karki, Saroj Thapa, Prachanda Bikram Neupane, Khem Bahadur Saru, and Sita Sharma, who will serve as ministers without portfolios.

The inclusion of Badshah Kurmi in the cabinet has stirred controversy due to his alleged involvement in the case of Nirmala Devi Kurmi's disappearance. Nirmala has been missing since 2075 BS, with allegations of abduction and forced disappearance.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has documented Kurmi’s connection to the case, reporting an assault on Nirmala and the unlawful seizure of her property and citizenship documents. This development has raised concerns among the public and political circles.