The prime minister´s aides claimed that the latest one-on-one meeting between Khanal and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal held on Saturday morning has increased the possibility of cabinet expansion sooner rather than later. [break]
"The prime minister and Dahal at the meeting decided to expand the cabinet in consensus at the earliest," said the prime minister´s press advisor Surya Thapa.
Khanal´s aides said, the Maoist chairman pledged to recommend the names of Maoist leaders to appoint as ministers within a day or two.
"There has been significant progress in the power-sharing issue particularly after today´s talks between the two leaders," said another leader closely working with Khanal.
Sources at the prime minister´s office said Khanal has decided to expand the cabinet by keeping the home ministry for himself. "He is for allowing the Maoists to head the security-related ministries only after settling some key issues related to the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants because he doesn´t want to further stir up tussle over the matter," the source said.
Khanal´s aides also claim that he is not going to make any further delay in giving full shape to the three-member cabinet. They claimed that the prime minister is in the mood of taking a bold decision if he faces further hindrances in doing so.
"The prime minister had already indicated in his address to the nation that he wouldn´t hesitate to take a bold decision if anyone took his efforts as weakness," said a leader.
However, Maoist leaders claim that talks are under way and the deal with the Maoists is still distant. "We will not join the government without getting the home ministry," said Maoist leader Shakti Basnet, who is close to Dahal.
A group of UML youth leaders, who are closely working with the prime minister, including Ghanshyam Bhusal, Arun Nepal, Prakash Jwala and Yogesh Bhattarai met Maoist Chairman Dahal at his residence in Nayabazar in the morning prior to the meeting between the two chairmen.
Meanwhile, the prime minister has called CPN-UML´s standing committee meeting for Sunday morning to discuss the issue of power-sharing.
"A standing committee meeting has been called and the chairman may brief the top party leaders about the recent developments in the talks and his plan to expand the cabinet," said party secretary Yubaraj Gyawali.
Even three weeks after his election to the post, the prime minister has failed to give full shape to the cabinet due to a dispute with the Maoists over the home ministry. Two of the three ministers -- Bishnu Paudel and Gangalal Tuladhar -- are still without portfolio due to the dispute. UML had earlier decided to appoint Paudel as home minister and Tuladhar as education minister.
While Maoists have been insisting that they wouldn´t join the government without getting home portfolio, a faction of UML leaders led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and leader K P Sharma Oli are strongly opposed to giving the Maoists any security-related ministries until the Maoist party completely transforms itself into a civilian organization.
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