The government on Tuesday appointed Shambhu Lal Shrestha as Minister for Livestock Development.

Shrestha recently quit CPN (Maoist Centre) to join Nepali Congress and was holding the portfolio of State Minister for Energy from CPN (MC) until the reshuffling of Cabinet.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had stripped off portfolios of CPN (MC) ministers after the party formed left alliance with the main opposition CPN-UML.

Shrestha has been appointed as the minister in the lead up to the federal and provincial elections.

Likewise, Minister Shrestha will be contesting the upcoming elections from Sarlahi constituency-1 as a NC candidate.