Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel has got the responsibility of officiating prime minister as PM KP Sharma Oli embarked on a week-long visit to China on Tuesday.

Pokhrel ranks second in the Nepal Communist Party (NCP)-led government that also has Health Minister Upendra Yadav as the other deputy PM. According to NCP Central Committee member Bishnu Rijal, senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has been given the responsibility of officiating chairman of the party. PM Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal co-chair the NCP.

Nepal, who ranks second in the NCP after Oli and Dahal, got the responsibility as Dahal is currently in Singapore for treatment of his wife Sita Dahal. According to NCP sources, Dahal is set to return to Kathmandu on Friday, after which he will take charge of the party. NCP deputy Parliamentary Party leader Subas Nembang has become the officiating PP leader.