By Lucky Chaudhary, Kathmandu, May 31: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli held talks with the leaders of Janata Samajwadi Party, Nepal (JSP-N) today at Baluwatar.

The meeting which went on for around two hours ended on a positive note and it has been said that the JSP-N leaders have agreed to participate in the government.

According to JSP-N leader Laxman Lal Karn, the party would join the government after the number of ministries to be given to JSP-N is finalised.

Karn informed that Prime Minister Oli had agreed to provide eight ministries and two State ministries to JSP-N.

Similarly, according to CPN-UML Standing Committee member Subash Chandra Nembang, who was also present in the meeting, a review-based discussion to address the demands of JSP-N was held in the meeting. "Prime Minister Oli and JSP-N Chairman Mahanta Thakur might have reached an agreement on the division of ministries. However, we were not informed about it in the meeting," he said.

It has been said that the ministries handled by the former NCP (Maoist Centre) leaders who have now entered CPN-UML would now be provided to JSP-N.

Moreover, leader Karn said, "Even though our party has agreed to participate in the government, it will take time due to the ongoing disputes within the party."

He added that the party was doing its homework to appoint leaders to the ministerial positions. JSP-N has been preparing to join the government on the leadership of the parliamentary party leader Rajendra Mahato. It has been anticipated that leaders Anil Kumar Jha, Sarad Singh Bhandari, Uma Shankar Aragariya, Ekwal Miya, Bimal Shrivastav, Chanda Chaudhari, and Renuka Gurung among others would be appointed to different ministerial positions.

Currently, of the total 31 lawmakers from JSP-N, 20 are supporting the Thakur-Mahato faction.