Incumbent ministers in the Balen government, who were living under the fear of a cabinet reshuffle and potential disciplinary action, have received temporary relief for now. Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah has reached the conclusion not to move forward with the cabinet reorganization process until the internal organizational dispute within the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is resolved and the central committee gets finalized.
The talk of a cabinet reshuffle had escalated in recent weeks due to a failure to reach an agreement on power sharing and position distribution between Prime Minister Shah and RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane. Apprehensions that some ministers might not only lose their posts but could also fall under the scope of investigation and arrest had created an atmosphere of intense mental stress and panic within the cabinet. However, according to sources in Baluwatar and party leadership, Prime Minister Shah is now in the mood to first resolve the party's internal organizational structure before taking any executive steps.
According to sources close to the Prime Minister, a strategy has been formed not to alter the cabinet until 51 central committee members, 11 high office bearers, and the party's central secretariat are finalized. The central committee and secretariat have remained incomplete for months due to a dispute between the Rabi and Balen factions over a 50/50 share in nominations versus the Chairman's 60/40 prerogative. The leadership realizes that replacing ministers without clarifying the party's central structure and factional power balance could further deepen the organizational crisis.
News that the cabinet reshuffle will happen only after the party committee is finalized has offered momentary relief to ministers facing the threat of losing their posts and facing action. However, this relief is not long-term. Since a major cabinet reorganization is almost certain once the internal sharing and inclusive quota disputes are sorted out, the pressure on the ministers has not been completely lifted. Amid the dual challenge of preserving the image of 'alternative politics' and quelling internal strife, untying the organizational knot has now become the primary priority for Prime Minister Balen.
