Nepal’s political scene heated up as prominent minister Kulman Ghising tendered his resignation on Wednesday, ending a 115-day stint in the interim government. The move follows Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s directive in a Monday cabinet meeting for politically active ministers to step aside.
Overseeing multiple vital sectors—energy, water resources, infrastructure, transport, and urban development—Ghising handed in his letter after being sworn in on September 15. Critics had accused him of partisan activities despite the government’s non-political mandate.
Ghising’s ties to the now-defunct Ujyalo Nepal Party, which he helped establish before its RSP merger, fueled the controversy. He is tipped to become RSP senior vice-chairman and could run in the March 5 elections.
The interim setup, born from youth-led protests, aimed for impartial governance ahead of polls. Ghising defended his actions, insisting no formal party affiliation exists yet and citing past examples of electioneering by interim officials.
A household name for eradicating chronic power outages as NEA head, Ghising’s popularity made him a prime catch for RSP chairman Rabi Lamichhane, who faces cooperative scam allegations but was freed by court order.
Ghising’s aggressive reforms included axing contracts from underperforming builders, accelerating stalled developments in energy and irrigation sectors to benefit ordinary Nepalis.
In his response, PM Karki lauded Ghising’s effective stewardship, marking the end of a chapter that blended technocratic expertise with emerging political ambitions.
