September 16: The Council of Ministers has appointed former finance minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada as the special financial advisor to Prime Minsiter KP Oli.

Khatiwada, a former governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, was earlier appointed as finance minister by the Oli-led government after nominating him as a member of the National Assembly under the president’s quota. After his second term in upper house ended recently, Khatiwada resigned from the post of finance minister. Ten days after his resignation, he was appointed to a post where he enjoys all the privileges as a minister, informed Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, who is the new spokesperson of the Government of Nepal.

PM Oli was in favour of giving continuity to Khatiwada as finance minister. However, he was forced to choose Nepal Communist Party Vice Chairman Bamdev Gautam for the vacant post of upper house member under pressure from party leaders. Khatiwada could not be appointed finance minister for a third term after his tenure as upper house member ended on September 5. But he is expected to play a key role in decision making after being appointed PM Oli’s advisor, especially because Oli himself holds the portfolio of finance minister.