Kathmandu: The CPN (Maoist Center) has directed the ministers including Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal to return.
CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has nominated 23 leaders including Badal as central members. The next day, the CPN-Maoist has called a meeting of the standing committee and recalled the ministers.
The government has Badal as Home Minister, Lekhraj Bhatt as Industry Minister, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi as Energy Minister, Mani Thapa as Water and Water Minister, Prabhu Sah as Irrigation Minister, Dawa Lama as Sports Minister and Gauri Shankar Chaudhary as Labor Minister.
Badal led the CPN-Maoist to the Oli government, while Bhatt became a minister in the CPN-Maoist quota. The five ministers were formed after splitting into the former CPN-Oli and Prachanda-Madhav factions. He was made a minister by Prime Minister Oli after leaving the Prachanda-Madhav faction in the CPN (Maoist) split.
After the Supreme Court revived the UML and the CPN-Maoist, the Madhav Kumar Nepal group has become active in the UML, but the group including Badal has not returned to the CPN-Maoistcenter.
On Friday, UML chairperson Oli held a meeting of his group and nominated 23 people, including Badal, as central members. Badal has been given the responsibility of Bagmati province and Bhatta has been given the responsibility of Far-western province.
The meeting of the CPN-Maoist has also demanded a 24-hour explanation from the leaders who accepted the responsibility given by UML Chairman Oli without leaving the party. Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that they have been asked to clarify whether they have left the party or not.
The Maoist center is ready to take action against the Maoists if they do not return. In that case, his parliamentary seat will go. Energy Minister Rayamajhi, who is close to Oli, has said that he will not leave Oli even if he becomes a Member of Parliament and Minister.
Maoist central leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that the support given to the government was not withdrawn. The CPN-Maoist has called a meeting of the central committee on Sunday at 11 am. However, the national meeting scheduled for March 19 has been postponed until further notice.