Updated on Friday, July 03, 2009, 22:33 IST

Kathmandu, July 03: Two new ministers, including a top Madhesi leader from Nepal's Terai plains, were inducted into the government led by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal in an effort to provide more stability to the 22-party coalition.

Prime Minister Nepal today inducted Rajendra Mahato, president of Sadbhavana Party and Prem Bahadur Singh of Samajwadi Prajatantrik Janata Party into the cabinet to take the total number of ministers to 32.

Mahato was been given the Commerce and Supplies portfolio while Singh became the country's new Law and Justice Minister.

With the fifth expansion to the cabinet, three of the main Madhesi parties from the southern Terai plains are now in the government, which took office one and half months ago.

Prachanda, who headed Nepal's first post-royal government, was forced to quit after dispute with President Ram Baran Yadav over the reinstatement of Gen Rukmangad Katawal after he was dismissed by the Maoist government.

Bureau Report