KATHMANDU: The ruling Maoist Center is planning to recall ministers who have served for one year and replace them with new appointees in Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda’s cabinet. A party leader disclosed that ministers such as Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha, Minister of Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma, and Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet are expected to leave the cabinet.

Sources from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat confirmed that Prime Minister Dahal is preparing for a cabinet reshuffle next week. He has been holding informal discussions with leaders from the ruling coalition partners to finalize the changes. Finance Minister Barshaman Pun and Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Hit Bahadur Tamang will remain in their positions.

CPN-UML leaders have mentioned that Ranjita Shrestha, Chairperson of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, is expected to be appointed as the Minister for Tourism next week, although no formal decision has been confirmed yet. Prime Minister Dahal and CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli reportedly discussed this appointment in a recent meeting.

The Prime Minister’s Secretariat has also agreed to allow the Janamat Party to lead in the Madhes Province. Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal mentioned that the government in Madhes will be formed through consensus. Within the Maoist Center, Madhav Sapkota is a likely candidate for a ministerial position, along with Rajan Dahal and Mahendra Bahadur Shahi.