President Ramchandra Paudel has appointed CPN-UML National Assembly member Bhagwati Neupane as the new minister for federal affairs and general administration.

The appointment was made on the recommendation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, according to the President’s Office.

Shailaja Regmi Bhattarai, spokesperson for the President's Office, confirmed the appointment on Tuesday, marking Neupane’s entry into the federal Cabinet.

Neupane’s appointment comes amid a shifting political landscape, following the resignation of former minister Rajkumar Gupta, who stepped down on Tuesday after a leaked audio recording allegedly linked him to a bribery deal involving political appointments and bureaucratic transfers.

The ministry Neupane now leads plays a critical role in overseeing the country’s civil service and intergovernmental coordination.