Graft-accused Minister Belbase resigns; Bogati assigned Labour portfolio

Labour Minister Kumar Belbase tendered his resignation on Saturday, few hours after Minister Baburam Bhattarai directed the graft-accused CPN-ML leader to put in his papers at the earliest, Kantipur daily reported.

Belbase, who said he was quitting on 'moral grounds', sent his resignation letter to the Prime Minister via fax on Saturday.

The Prime Minister has accepted Belbase's resignation and assigned Tourism Minister Posta Bahadur Bogati the former minister's portfolio.

Bhattarai's directive came as a video showing the minister demand hefty sums from those seeking ministry approval to start 'manpower' companies surfaced in the media.

The Prime Minister had said he would relieve the minister from the post if he did not resign himself. Belbase's party CPN-M, meanwhile, had defended the minister and said he is innocent.

Belbase's predecessor Sarita Giri was also relived of her responsibilities after being accused of being involved in corruption. nepalnews.com