The meeting of the Legislature-Parliament today approved the Finance Ordinance 2012 and the Ordinance to Mobilise Internal Loans with a majority.

On behalf Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, Minister without portfolio Dr Ram Sharan Mahat presented the ordinances in the meeting seeking approval from the House.

Before this, the House rejected by a majority the proposal seeking the rejection of the ordinances which was tabled by MP Biswendra Paswan.

In the meeting, Ram Sharan Mahat, on behalf Prime Minister Koirala, presented before the House a proposal regarding appointments to the constitutional bodies as per the Clause 22 of the Order Removing the Constitutional Obstacles.

The next meeting of the Legislature-Parliament is slated for 24 February.

Still undecided

Twelve days since he was sworn in as the prime minister, Sushil Koirala is struggling to give his cabinet a full shape.

It was expected that Koirala would form a partial cabinet today with ministers from Nepali Congress (NC), leaving ministries for his coalition partners. However, a meeting of the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Board this morning in the party office in Sanepa to pick ministers ended without any conclusion.

“We held discussion on candidates who will take up ministerial positions,” said NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula after the meeting. “But a decision has not been made.”

Koirala will now have to convince members of his own party, together with persuading the likely coalition partner, CPN-UML, to give his cabinet a full shape.

Nepali Congress has been in fray with CPN-UML for key portfolios. UML has been arguing that NC has backed out from its promise of Home Ministry to the party in an agreement made to gain UML’s support for Koirala for the prime minister’s post.

On Thursday, CPN-UML’s Standing Committee meeting had decided to stay in opposition if NC continued to be reluctant to share ministerial portfolios respectfully in line with past understanding.