Kathmandu, March 31 (Reuters): Jostling over ministerial portfolios today delayed the formation of a new interim Nepalese government that would include former Maoist rebels, political leaders said.

The Maoists were set to join the new administration under a November peace pact with the multi-party government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, which ended a decade-old guerrilla war.

“Junior partners in the ruling coalition are insisting they be given senior positions in the new government,” Devendra Raj Kandel, a senior leader of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), one of the seven parties in the present cabinet, said. “So the Prime Minister could not finalise the cabinet line-up. It is shameful,” Kandel said.

Parliament officials said the interim parliament, originally scheduled to meet today to approve the new cabinet, was awaiting the outcome of talks between Koirala and Maoist chief Prachanda and leaders of other parties.

“The session of the parliament which was due today has been put off until tomorrow (Sunday),” the parliament said in a notice.

Koirala was expected to resign only to be re-elected by parliament to head the interim government and then he will announce a new multi-party cabinet that includes the Maoists.

The Maoists are already part of the interim parliament which they joined in January under the November peace deal. The interim government, when formed, will organise elections for a Constituent Assembly in June which is to map out the impoverished country’s political future, including that of the monarchy, which the Maoists want abolished.

The new cabinet incorporating the Maoists is expected to inject fresh energy into a peace process clouded after anti-government protests by ethnic groups in Nepal’s southern plains.

Earlier this week, a senior Maoist leader said Koirala was not ready to share key cabinet portfolios such as home or defence with the former guerrillas.