Prime Minister Koirala: also in charge of defence and foreign policies

This is the smallest cabinet in recent years, but a senior leader of the governing coalition said that expansion of the cabinet cannot be ruled out. Prime Minister Koirala, has said that the top priority of the new government is to conduct general elections by April next year, seven months ahead of schedule.

Mr. Koirala inducted four ministers from his own party, the centrist Nepali Congress, and another four from the Nepal Communist Party, United Marxist-Leninist (UML). One minister comes from the regional Nepal Sadbhavna Party. For the first time in eight years, a King's nominee has also been included in the cabinet.

Mr. Koirala has kept the foreign and the defence ministries to himself. He has retained three ministers of the outgoing minority government of the Nepali Congress, including the Home Minister, Govinda Raj Joshi.

The Nepal Communist Party (UML) has been given the key portfolios of finance and water resources.

King Birendra refused to hold immediate elections

A former minister under the absolute rule of King Birendra nine years ago has been appointed Population and Environment Minister. Mr. Ramesh Nath Pandey is a King-nominated member of the Nepalese parliament's upper house, the National Assembly. This is the first time since the King gave up absolute power following a pro-democracy movement in 1990 that a Royal nominee has been included in a popularly elected government.

Mr. Koirala was reappointed Prime Minister after the Nepal Communist Party (UML) and the Nepal Sadbhavana Party decided to back him as the head of the new coalition, on condition that he will call fresh elections. Mr. Koirala earlier led a minority government of the Nepali Congress for eight months before stepping down on Monday, to clear way for a new coalition.