KATHMANDU, April 10: Expressing dissatisfaction over Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's decision to make Kamal Thapa senior to two other deputy prime ministers, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bimalendra Nidhi on Monday skipped the cabinet meeting.
Krishna Bahadur Mahara is the third DPM.
The cabinet had not been able to meet for almost four weeks over the seniority row between Thapa and Nidhi.
Dahal for seniority to Thapa, Nidhi in mood to resign
Nidhi has maintained he should be the senior DPM since he represents the largest party in the parliament.
Other senior leaders of the Nepali Congress (NC) also expressed similar views, terming PM Dahal's decision "a move to humiliate the NC".
Nidhi's press coordinator Ramji Dahal said Nidhi would not attend the cabinet meeting unless the prime minister revoked his decision. "DPM Nidhi has already held discussions within the party," said Dahal.
Earlier, Nidhi had decided to quit his post over the same issue, but chose to stay after NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba requested him not to step down as doing so would have sent a negative message on the eve of local-level elections.
Sources said Nidhi and PM Dahal have already reached an understanding, under which the former will hold discussions with the PM before each cabinet meeting, but will not attend the meetings.
Thapa, who is the chairman of the fourth largest political party in the parliament and the third major party in the ruling coalition, had earlier threatened to quit the government if he was not made senior to two other DPMs. This put PM Dahal in a fix as Nidhi also claimed the same.
