Ever since the return of Pushpa Kamal Dahal to Singha Durbar two weeks ago, hustle and bustle is back in the Prime Minister’s Office. The reason being, Dahal has started working full time from office, unlike his predecessors KP Sharma Oli and the late Sushil Koirala, who did their jobs mostly from Baluwatar, the PM’s official residence, holding important sessions, engagements and Cabinet sittings there.

For officials, the PM spending most of his time in the office is a welcome beginning. “It makes a lot of difference when the PM is available in his office,” said Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, the PMO secretary who repeatedly asked the chief secretary to request the head of government to run his office from Singha Durbar.

Officials said they have difficulties communicating with the PM and taking decisions when he works from Baluwatar. When the prime minister is in Singha Durbar, senior officials and secretaries can make appointments to discuss urgent and important issues.

Officials said daily briefing sessions and office operations are better when the prime minister comes to the office regularly. Visiting Baluwatar every day for briefing official matters is difficult not just because of the time constraint but also the sensitivity of the matter. Due to his illness, PM Koirala ran the office from Baluwatar most of the time, compelling ministers, officials and political leaders to go to Baluwatar whenever there was an important decision to make or an agenda to discuss.

Dahal, according to PMO officials, reaches his office at 10am sharp and gets down to his business. After Dahal became the PM, Cabinet meetings have been held at the PMO regularly.

Another PMO secretary, Chandra Ghimire said the PM receives full support when he works from Singha Durbar. The most important concern is the lack of institutional memory whenever the PM works from outside. Ghimire said PMO officials often felt like outsiders when they had to go to Baluwatar to meet the PM.