By News Desk
Publisher:The Kathmandu Post - Publication Date: 31-12-2007

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Sunday (Dec 30) appointed five Maoist leaders as cabinet ministers and promoted two state ministers from Nepali Congress to cabinet level, in the cabinet reshuffle following the signing of the 23-point fresh agreement in the seven-party alliance.
According to Prime Minister's Office communiqué, Koirala appointed Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Dev Prasad Gurung, Matrika Yadav, Hisila Yami, Ramesh Lekhak, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and Pampha Bhushal as cabinet ministers.
Mahara, Gurung, Yadav and Yami were ministers in the cabinet before they all resigned on Sept 18, following a row in the ruling alliance over declaring the country a republic and changing the voting system. Yadav quit a month before following dispute with Madhesi leaders in the Maoist party.
Lekhak and Karki got promoted to cabinet rank. Bhushal, the new entrant, was a Maoist nominee for Nepal's ambassador to France. After the French government did not serve the agreemo in her name within the stipulated three-month time, the Maoists picked her as cabinet minister.
The prime minister, however, is yet to decide on two nominations of the Maoists for state ministerial berths. With the entry of Maoist members, the number of ministers has reached 23. Out of them, 19 members are cabinet ministers and four state ministers.
The new ministers are scheduled to take their oath of office at 2pm Monday (Dec 31), before the cabinet holds its meeting. Sunday's cabinet meeting endorsed the recommendation made by Maoist Chairman Prachanda on Saturday.
Commenting on the new entry, Minister-designate for Physical Planning and Work Hisila Yami said the Maoist ministers would do their best to make the long-awaited constituent assembly polls a success.