Nepal's prime minister on Monday swore in nine Maoist lawmakers to the cabinet, days after the former rebels threatened to withdraw support from the government and trigger its collapse. Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal had earlier rejected Maoist demands to appoint its lawmakers as cabinet ministers. But Khanal gave in on Monday after the Maoists reduced the number of cabinet seats they were demanding to nine from 19.
"The prime minister administered the oath of office to nine lawmakers from Maoist party and one from Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (party)," the prime minister's press adviser Surya Thapa said. Khanal was chosen as premier by lawmakers in February after winning the support of the Maoists following a damaging seven-month-long leadership vacuum in the poverty-stricken nation. He was tasked with drafting the country's new constitution and resolving the fate of 19,000 former Maoist soldiers confined to camps around the country since the end of the Maoist civil war in 2006.
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