Maoists revive revolutionary people’s council

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Maoists Wednesday revived a dormant revolutionary people’s council which acted like a rebel government during the people’s war that was called off after the royal regime was toppled in April 2006.
The council headed by Dr Baburam Bhattarai also consists of Maoist ministers Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Deb Gurung are other members of the council.
Maoists said the council was revived after government and seven parties couldn’t agree on establishing local bodies before the 10 April assembly elecitons.
The council will work from the district to the village level.
The Maoist move drew immediate adverse reaction from CPN-UML and UNMIN.
Raghuji Pant of CPN-UML said the move was a Maoist attempt to rig the 10 April elections.
UNMIN chief Ian Martin said if the report was true, giving Maoists the benefit of a doubt, the revival would hamper the peace process.
Bhattarai said the council had never been dissolved the more was an attempt to mobilize people for elections.
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Madhav Kumar Nepal’s tenure extended

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: The tenure of Madhav Kumar Nepal has been until the 8th general assembly of the CPN-UML which will be convened after the 10 April assembly election which was prioritized by the party central committee that began meeting Tuesday .
Nepal’s five-year tenure ended Tuesday along with the tenure of other central committee members elected by the 7th general assembly.
Nepal is the second party general secretary after Madan Bhandari who was killed in a car crash.
The post of acting party chairman occupied by late prime minister Man Mohan Adhikari has never been filled.
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Everest Bank Ltd records profit
Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Everest Bank Ltd earned a Rs 182.2 million net profit in Q2 ending 14 January.
The bank is a joint venture with India’s Punjab National Bank.
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65 security personnel deployed for Prachanda

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Sixty-five security personnel have been deployed for Chairman Prachanda during movement outside his home since a fortnight.
Home Ministry spokesman Modraj Dortel told The Himalayan Times Prachanda and some leaders, including former prime minister Sher Bahadur Bahadur, have lately been provided a Nepal Police security officer and a 15-member escort from Armed Police Force.
The reason for additional security was not detailed.
Prachanda said he feels threatened from CIA and India.
Government provided security to top Maoist leaders after they joined the political mainstream in April 2006.
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Deuba said he’s ready to meet terai rebels in Sitamadi

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Former prime minister and number two Congress leader Sher Bahadur said Wednesday he’s ready to meet terai rebel leaders in Sitamadi, across the border in Bihar.
The statement in Janakpur during an election campaign is Deuba’s way of saying and confirming leaders of Nepal’s armed rebel groups have their bases across the open 1,700 km open border in north India.
Deuba said the people of Madesh will lose if the 10 April constituent assembly election isn’t held.
UNDP resident representative Matthew Kahane was recalled after saying in an unauthorized statement objected to by India Nepal’s rebels have links across the border in India.
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Strong Congress reaction

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Acting Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala charged Maoists for attempting to kill central committee member and former minister Dilendra Prasad Badu in Darchula Tuesday during an attack.
Koirala said Maoists ‘are inviting deployment of Nepal Army’ for elections with such attacks.
The deployment is a hot issue.
RPP chairman Pashupati SJB Rana said Wednesday the army should be deployed for election security but not against the people of terai.
Ruling party leaders are divided and fuzzy of the deployment of the army.
The army is being deployed this time for guarding sensitive installations only.
Twelve persons were injured in the Darchula clashes, including policemen, Maoists and Congress activists.
Congress charged injured Badu was surrounded at a home which was destroyed among with other nearby homes.
Maoists seized arms and bullets from the police
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