Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai is preparing to unveil the consensus cabinet this evening. However, a complete cabinet is unlikely with the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) remaining still undecided about their ministerial list.

Earlier, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had asked the President's Office to set the swearing-in ceremony at 5 pm, but it was delayed by hours. If NC and UML fail to submit their name lists, PM Bhattarai will administer oath of office to ministers from the UCPN (Maoist) and the Madhesi Front.

The UCPN (M) yesterday decided to continue Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Post Bahadur Bogati in the unity government as well. The party is expected to nominate three of its ministers in the previous cabinet - Barshaman Pun, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Dina Nath Sharma - to ministerial berths again. However, the Mohan Baidya faction of the party have decided not to join the government under Bhattarai.

The major parties UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and UML along with the Madhesi Front Friday agreed to announce the national unity cabinet on Saturday.

A meeting of the four parties held at Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's residence in Baluwatar reached a 'tentative' agreement to expand the cabinet on Saturday. Speaking after the meeting, NC secretary Krishna Prasad Sitauala said his party was still in discussion on its ministerial list, but it would submit the names by Saturday evening.

All the ministers in the Maoist-Madhesi government had resigned en masse Thursday midnight following the agreement to form the national unity government headed by Bhattarai. nepalnews.com