KATHMANDU, Dec. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Nepali King Gyanendra on Wednesday reshuffled the Council of Ministers, or cabinet, by changing the portfolios of the ministers and appointing new ministers under his chairmanship.

    According to state-owned media National News Agency of Nepal, the Council of Ministers includes a total of 35 members.

    There are two vice-chairmen, 12 ministers, seven state ministers and 14 assistant ministers in the new cabinet.

    The king has included some leaders of minor political parties like Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Prajatantrik Nepal Party and Nepal Samata Party and some of the newly registered parties in Election Commission of Nepal.

    The king reshuffled the cabinet with two vice-chairmen Tulsi Giri and Kirti Nidhi Bista.

    Badri Prasad Mandal has been appointed the General Administration portfolio while Keshar Bahadur Bista has been given the portfolio of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

    Kamal Thapa has been assigned the Home Ministry's portfolio, and Buddhiman Tamang has been assigned Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies.

    Narayan Singh Pun has been appointed the Land Reform and Management portfolio while Tanka Dhakal, the present Information and Communications Minister has been appointed the Local Development Ministry.

    This is the fourth time the Nepali king reshuffled the cabinet since he took power of the state on Feb. 1, 2005. He reshuffled the cabinet on Feb. 2, Feb. 14, and July 14, 2005.

    The king has made reshuffles of the cabinet by issuing orders as per Article 127 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990. Enditem