With Leela Mani Paudyal taking leave from Sunday before his retirement, the search for the new chief secretary has begun. The appointment of the Reconstruction Authority CEO is getting delayed despite the government’s commitment to appoint one at the earliest.

Government sources said the NC has claimed both the positions while the UML is for dividing the two posts between the two ruling parties. Top leaders of the coalition partners had several meetings but there has been no headway in the matter.

Other crucial appointments are to the Eminent Persons’ Group from Nepal’s side to update, revise or scrap the Nepal-India Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950.

A meeting between Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli on Friday was unable to find a way out after the NC claimed both the chief secretary and the CEO, said a UML minister.

“As both the positions are under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Office, it is natural that the Congress claims them,” said an NC minister. UML, the second largest party in government, wants one of the two positions for its supporters and at least four ambassadorial positions. The bickering over these posts has also delayed the appointment of ambassadors to eight countries.

Though senior leaders from the two parties have agreed to appoint ambassadors to eight foreign missions, no agreement has been reached, said NC and UML ministers.

Minister for Information and Communications Minendra Rijal said he was not aware of the division over the appointments. Three bureaucrats—Local Development Secretary Somlal Subedi, Industry Secretary Jay Mukunda Khanal and Education Secretary Bishow Prakash Pandit—are in the race to be the chief secretary.

The UML backs Khanal while the NC favours Pandit. And there are sections of leaders from the NC and the UML who also support Subedi. “No official or institutional decision has been made and the leaders are picking candidates as per their convenience,” said Minister for Irrigation NP Saud.

For the Reconstruction Authority CEO, National Planning Commission Vice-chairman Govinda Pokhrel, outgoing Chief Secretary Paudyal, former home and foreign minister Madhav Ghimire and former Nepal Army Generals Balananda Sharma and Pawan Bahadur Pandey are the contenders.

According to sources, Ghimire could head the Authority if the coalition partners agree to share the appointments and the UML gets to nominate the CEO.

In the ambassadorial posts, both the parties have claimed seats in Tokyo and London. According to Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, the deal could be finalised in a meeting between PM Sushil Koirala and Deputy Prime Minister Bam Dev Gautam. “We hope the next Cabinet meeting will take a decision,” he said.