A day after the NC and UML reached an agreement on distribution of ministerial berths, the key partners of the coalition Madhesi parties opposed the cabinet expansion deal saying that the NC and the UML shared ministries without consulting them. The two parties had shared the major ministries leaving other ministries for fringe parties.

As per the agreement, UML gets finance, home, defence and communication, peace and reconstruction and tourism portfolios while NC will hold foreign affairs, water resources, labour, health, law and local development ministries.

A joint meeting of MJF, TMLP and Sadbhavana held on Sunday concluded that the agreement reached between the NC and UML could adversely affect the consensus politics. However, they have been saying the dispute would not affect the government.

The two parties will have to renegotiate with them to reach a fresh understanding on allocation of portfolios. In a meeting with the PM, MJF's Bijay Gachchhedar was offered four ministries and two state minsters. But Gachchhedar was firm on his demands. The dispute is expected to be settled on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Maoists' politburo meeting scheduled to be meet on Monday was put off in support of bandh called by its party's youth wing, YCL, to protest the suspicious murder of Rajendra Phuyal, a district committee member of the Maoists.

Police had found Phuyal unconscious on the roadside on Thursday. Phuyal died on the way to hospital. The Maoists and the kin of the deceased have accused the UML's Youth Force of abducting Phuyal and killing him. The police have been accused of trying hide the details of the death.

The Maoist cadres have obstructed traffic and vandalised vehicles. Even cyclists in some places were not allowed to ride. They started staging demonstrations and burning tires at various places in Kathmandu since early Monday morning.

The Maoists have also shut down far west to protest the president's 'unconstitutional' move while Kalikot district headquarter, Manma, has remained tense after the Maoists and UML cadres clashed on Sunday.

The secretariat meeting held on Sunday finalised a 13-point political document, mentioning a government of national consensus under the leadership of the Maoists.