Nepal : Home Minister Sudun Gurung has resigned from his post

Kathmandu/New Delhi :   Nepal’s Home Minister Sudan Gurung has resigned following allegations of possessing assets disproportionate to his income; consequently, three names are currently being discussed as potential candidates for the new Home Minister.

Sudan Gurung, widely regarded as Prime Minister Balen Shah’s closest ally—has stepped down from the post of Home Minister. Following Gurung’s departure, Balen Shah has assumed charge of the Home Ministry. Gurung’s resignation marks the second ministerial-level setback for Shah within a span of just a few weeks. On April 9, Shah had dismissed Deepak Kumar Sah, the Minister for Labor, Employment, and Social Security. A disciplinary committee in Nepal concluded, following an investigation, that Deepak Kumar Sah had misused his official position to retain his wife, Junu Shrestha, on the Health Insurance Board. The party stated that this action constituted a violation of its code of conduct and disciplinary norms.

Home Minister Sudan Gurung faces allegations of possessing assets exceeding his known sources of income. His name is also being linked to Deepak Bhatta, an individual implicated in a money laundering case. Gurung tendered his resignation just 26 days after Balen Shah’s government assumed power. Announcing his resignation, Gurung stated that he was stepping down from his post to facilitate an impartial investigation and to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.

“For me,” Gurung remarked, “ethics matter more than the position itself, and there is no power greater than the trust of the public. The questions raised by citizens must be addressed with moral integrity.”Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Shishir Khanal, may be assigned the additional responsibility of the Home Ministry.Nepal’s Finance Minister, Dr. Swarnim Wagle, could potentially oversee the Home Ministry in addition to the Finance Ministry.Apart from these two, Transport Minister Sunil Lamsal is also being considered as a potential candidate for the post of Home Minister.