As per Article 127 of the 1990 constitution, King Gyanendra has formed a new cabinet under his chairmanship. The king appointed 10 ministers from different ethnic backgrounds: Newar, Brahmin, Chettri and Thakali who hail from the hills, tarai and Kathmandu Valley. Seven of the ministers are new faces in the public arena:

Rameshnath Pandey, Foreign Affairs
Was repeatedly appointed minister during the Panchayat era and twice as member of the National
Assembly. Served as minister for information, population and environment and tourism.

Elected minister during the NC-UML government in 1998, he was also a member of the 2002 Chand cabinet.

Radha Krishna Mainali, Education and Sports
Founding member of Nepali Communist Party (ML). Unable to get membership in the permanent committee of the UML after the Janakpur Convention in 2003, he has distanced himself from the party. Served as chairman of the United Left Front and was elected minister during the nine month NC-UML coalition government.

Krishna Lal Thakali, General Administration
Minister for General Administration in the first Deuba cabinet, little known politician but created own identity by taking a strong stance against UML's frequent and random transfer of government officers. Appointed member of the National Assembly and member secretary of the Gumba Development Committee of Mustang.

Buddhiraj Bajracharya, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation
Former mayor of Lalitpur, also served as pradhan pancha during the Panchayat era. Bajracharya says he will continue on culture. Elected mayor of Patan under a UML ticket and is a member of the Raj Parisad.

Khadga Bahadur GC, Local Development
From the Maoist-affected Pyuthan district, served as zonal commissioner and was known as a hardliner. Began in politics with the leftist students' union.


Tanka Dhakal, Information and Communication
Twice appointed to the Rastriya Panchayat, used to be general secretary of Nepal Nationalist Independent Student's Council, never before been appointed to an executive post.

Dan Bahadur Shahi, Home and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Former secretary of the Civil Service Commission and Ministry of Agriculture, Zonal Commissioner of Kosi during Panchayat.


Madhukar Shamsher Rana, Finance
Development economist, was special economic adviser at the Ministry of Finance, served as adviser to Finance Minister Prakash Chandra Lohani during the Thapa government. Founded CEDA at Tribhuban University, president of Nepal Management Organisation, training adviser at UNDP, Geneva.

Durga Shrestha, Women, Children and Social Welfare
RPP central member, also served as member of the Rastriya Panchayat in the old days.

Ram Narayan Singh, Minister for Labour and Transport Management: Former CDO