Minister Prem Bahadur Ale has handed over a written commitment letter to the party chairman saying he is ready to quit anytime the party wants.

“Minister Ale handed over a letter to the party chairman expressing his commitment to quit whenever party wants,” said Hemanta Regmi, a personal aide to Ale. “The letter was handed over to the party chair during the party’s meeting.”

The CPN (Unified Socialist), a coalition partner in the current Sher Bahadur Deuba government, has been in a crisis after a Standing Committee meeting on June 5 decided to recall four of its ministers, including Ale.

The four ministers, however, defied the party diktat, saying the decision at a time when discussions were being held on the budget was uncalled for.

The four ministers as well as six other lawmakers on Friday then submitted a memorandum to party chair Madhav Nepal expressing displeasure at the June 5 decision and demanding a meeting of the Parliamentary Party.

But on Saturday, Ale and five lawmakers withdrew their demand.

During a politburo meeting of the party on Friday, Minister Ale said that he was ready to put in papers within 48 hours.

After all the major committees of the party–standing committee, politburo and central committee–endorsed the party’s decision of changing the existing set of ministers–the ministers who were challenging the decision came under extreme pressure to abide by the party’s decision.

On Saturday, the Central Committee meeting of the party unanimously decided to endorse the party Secretariat’s June 5 decision to recall four ministers–Ale, Ram Kumari Jhakri, Birodh Khatiwada and Krishna Kumar Shrestha.

The party had decided to appoint Jeevan Ram Shrestha as Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation minister replacing Ale, Metmani Chaudhary as Urban Development minister replacing Jhakri, Sher Bahadur Kunwar as Labour, Employment and Social Security minister replacing Shrestha and promoting existing state minister for Health and Population Bhawani Khapung as full minister for the same ministry replacing Khatiwada and Hira Chandra KC as state minister replacing Khapung.

Party chair Nepal said at a meeting of the All Nepal Women’s Association (Socialist) on Sunday that some ministers have already tendered their resignation.

“I have their resignations in my pocket and will make them public whenever necessary. Other ministers will also follow the suit,” Nepal said in the meeting. “But our party’s letter is sufficient to change the ministers. Let’s hope ministers will be changed today.”