KATHMANDU, Jan 12: The CPN (Maoist Center) ministers who were without portfolio since October last year have quit the government on Friday.

Minister without portfolio Girirajmani Pokhrel, on behalf of the Maoist ministers, submitted the resignation to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba after the cabinet meeting of Friday.

Prime Minister Deuba had stripped the 16 Maoist ministers including seven state ministers of their responsibilities after the party forged electoral alliance with CPN-UML on the eve of the House of Representatives and Province Assembly elections.

Despite pressure from various quarters, the party had refused to leave the government citing that their presence was essential to ensure timely elections, which were concluded in December last year.

“We quit the government. Prime Minister Deuba thanked us in reply,” said Pokhrel, after tendering the resignation. Pokhrel also said that they would not accept the salaries of the tenure they spent–which is nearly four months—without any portfolio.