The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has put forward Chitra Lekha Yadav as Nepal’s ambassador to Australia, following criticism for not upholding inclusion principles in recent ambassadorial nominations. The NC has now endorsed Yadav as their nominee for the position, and her name will soon be submitted to the Cabinet for final approval, according to a ministry source. Previously, on July 30, the government had recommended ambassadors for 18 countries, but faced backlash over the lack of inclusivity. On September 3, the International Relations and Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) raised concerns about this issue, prompting Minister Deuba to apologize, stating, “I am sorry” for the oversight. Initially, Kanta Rijal had been nominated as the ambassador to Australia under the NC’s quota. However, her nomination was revoked after complaints were lodged with the Ministry, accusing her of failing to repatriate an aide she had taken during her tenure as ambassador to Israel. Chitra Lekha Yadav, who has held roles as the Deputy Speaker of the HoR, Treasurer of the NC, former Education Minister, and a central committee member, is now under consideration by the parliamentary committee for the ambassadorial post.
