Kathmandu — A day after Nepal’s interim government expanded its cabinet, protests broke out outside the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar. The group led by Sudhan Gurung, which claims leadership of the Gen-Z movement, accused the government of appointing ministers without consultation and demanded Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s resignation.
Protest and Resignation Demand
On Sunday night, Gurung and his supporters staged a demonstration in front of Baluwatar, chanting slogans against the government. “If we return to the streets, no one will be able to stop us,” Gurung warned, alleging that senior advocate Om Prakash Aryal had made himself Home Minister “behind closed doors.” Families of the injured and deceased from the Gen-Z protests also joined the rally.
Cabinet Appointments and Political Context
Prime Minister Karki has appointed Om Prakash Aryal as Minister for Home and Law. Aryal gained prominence after filing a Supreme Court petition against the appointment of former anti-corruption chief Lokman Singh Karki. He has since taken on several public interest cases and currently serves as a legal adviser to Kathmandu Metropolitan City.
Former Finance Secretary Rameshore Khanal has been appointed Finance Minister, while former Nepal Electricity Authority executive director Kulman Ghising will lead the Ministry of Energy. Khanal recently chaired a high-level commission that submitted a 447-page report on economic reforms, while Ghising is credited with ending Nepal’s years-long electricity rationing.
Prime Minister Sushila Karki, Nepal’s first female head of government, has moved swiftly to form her cabinet. She previously appointed senior advocate Sabita Bhandari as Attorney General.
The interim government will include a maximum of 11 ministers. Following the resignation of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli under pressure from the Gen-Z movement, the House of Representatives was dissolved, and general elections are scheduled for March 5, 2026.
