Kathmandu, May 22 (UNI) Ahead of crucial talks with the Maoists, Nepal's Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today expanded his Cabinet, raising its strength to 18, but retained the crucial Defence and Royal Palace Affairs portfolios.

The Prime Minister swore in five cabinet ministers and six ministers of state from the top four parties -- Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Congress (Democratic) and the United Left Front -- constituting the seven-party alliance.

However, no member from the Nepal Sadbhavna Party was inducted, while the other two parties -- Nepal Janmorcha or Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party -- had stated they would not participate in the government. Also, no member from civil society was taken.

The cabinet members inducted today are Mrs Chitra Lekha Yadav (NC-D), hitherto the Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives, who has been given Water Resources, Mr Narendra Bikram Nemwang (Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs), Mr Pradip Gyawali (Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation), Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar (Education and Sports) and Mr Rajendra Pandey (Local Development).

The six ministers of state are Mr Ramesh Lekhak (Labour and Transport), Mr Gopal Rai (Forest and Land Conservation), Mr Dilendra Prasad Badu (Information and Communications), Mr Man Bahadur Bishwokarma (Science and Environment), Mrs Urmila Aryal (Women, Children and Social Welfare), and Mr Dharmaraj Shah (General Administration).

The cabinet now includes seven members from Nepali Congress, six from CPN-UML, four from Nepali Congress (Democratic) and one from United Left Front.

However, reports said Ms Yadav, expressing serious differences over the SPA's recent refusal to accept her as Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), has declined to join the Cabinet.

Speaking immediately after the announcement of the cabinet expansion, she said she would not accept the portfolio of the Ministry for Water Resources.

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