Oli’s preferential treatment to Khatiwada may invite rift in ruling party and hit governance

As special economic adviser to the prime minister, the former finance minister is poised to have a wider scope of work and stronger mandate, which could add to confusion among bureaucrats, insiders and analysts say.

The government’s decision to appoint Yubaraj Khatiwada, who resigned as the finance and communication minister earlier this month, as prime minister’s special economic adviser can create more rifts in the ruling Nepal Communist Party while having a profound impact on governance as well, insiders and analysts say.