Kathmandu, Mar. 11:  President Ramchandra Paudel appointed one Deputy Prime Minister and one minister on Sunday. Both the new members of the Cabinet are from Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N). 

According to a statement issued by the Office of the President on Sunday, Upendra Yadav has been appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population and Nawal Kishor Sah Sudi as Minister for Forest and Environment on the recommendation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ as per the Article 76 (9) of the Constitution, 

President Paudel also administered the oath of office and secrecy to them at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas as per Article 80 of the Constitution. 

With Sunday’s expansion, the Prachanda-led Cabinet now has 22 members with four Deputy Prime Ministers. 

This is the third Cabinet expansion in a row after the formation of the new coalition led by Prachanda on March 3. The second expansion was done on March 6, adding three DPMs and 13 ministers.  

JSP’s President Upendra Yadav ranks fourth among the DPMs. Raghubir Mahaseth of UML is on top followed by Narayan Kaji Shrestha of CPN-Maoist Centre and Rabi Lamichhane of Rastriya Swatantra Party.  

Yadav was elected to the House of Representatives from Bara Constituency No. 2 and Sah from Saptari’s Constituency No. 1.

The new coalition government has now ministers from five parties — CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist (Centre), RSP, JSP-N and CPN (Unified Socialist).