Khum Bahadur Khadka demands suspension of vote; capital blasts
By Bhola B Rana
Kathmandu, 9 April: Nepali Congress Wednesday rejected former Home Minister and Congress candidate Khum Bahadur Khadka’s demand for suspension of Thursday’s election in his Dang constituency where his police guards shot dead seven Maoists and injured at least one dozen others overnight.
Khadka Wednesday fled Lamahi and took shelter in Nepalgung.
Khadka said there was no atmosphere for a vote in his constituency.
He charged Maoists for threatening his life and lives of his family members.
Khadka also charged Maoists for overpowering his supporters before the firing broke out.
Altogether eight Maoists and one candidate were killed in violence after campaigning ended .
Election Commission announced fresh election in Surkhet-1 on 19 April after CPN-UML candidate Rishi Prasad Sharma was killed..
CPN-UML charged Congress for the murder of its candidate who was challenging influential Congress candidate Purna Bahadur Khadka who is close of Sher Bahadur Deuba—a former prime minister and pretender to the office of the prime minister.
Congress denied the charge.
Government has ordered probes of the firings in the two districts after strong protests from CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist).
‘The violence is unprecedented. I had only heard of clashes on election day,” Shyam Sharma of Gyaneshwor said.
Voting for the 601-member constituent assembly begins at seven [01.15 GMT]A 10-hour vote begins at seven in the morning Thursday; Election Commission said all preparations for the vote have been completed.
Four bomb blasts rocked the capital Wednesday afternoon.
There were no casualties or damage in bombings in front of Bir Hospital, Jamal and Bishwa Jyoti Cinema.
Ranabir Sena took responsibility for the blasts.
Thirty YCL were arrested in Rupandhaehi with arms as they were going towards Nepalgung.
Clashes and abductions, involving mainly Congress, CPN-UML and Maoists have been reported from other parts of the country.
Maoists said the voting will be held Thursday despite the deadly violence.
Chairman Prachanda is voting in Bharatpur, Chitwan and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala will cast hisballot in his hometown Biratnagar.
The EU election observation mission said it is deeply concerned with pre-election violence.
“We have noted with deep concern the level of violence that has taken place during the electoral process and we are following the security situation very carefully,” said Chief Observer Jan Mulder. “On the eve of this historic election, I call again on all those involved in the election to respect the fundamental right of every Nepali citizen to cast their vote on April 10 in a peaceful atmosphere without fear of intimidation or violence.”
Altogether 17.6 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots.
No party is expected to gain a clear majority.
CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said his party will try to form a government under its leadership if it even captures the most seats in the assembly that has a mandate to draft a constitution in the next two years.
The country is heading towards a new crisis and uncertainty after the vote and not peace and stability pushed by donors.
The widespread violence will keep voters away form the polls; turnout is expected to be low; a low turnout—less that the 64 percent below normal national average—won’t give legitimacy to a constitution proposed by the assembly.
The present ruling class threw the 1990 constitution to the dustbin after it didn’t suit them; Nepal on an average has had one constitution for every 10 years.
Rulers have thrown out the constitution when it didn’t suit their interests.
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King calls for vote in free environment
By Bhola B Rana
Kathmandu, 9 April: On the eve of constituent assembly elections, the King in a message asked 17.6 million voters on election eve to exercise their vote in a free and fair manner.
He said a democratic policy shouldn’t compromise the country’s existence, independence and integrity.
“It has always been our desire to ensure that under no circumstance are the nation's existence, independence and integrity compromised and to build a prosperous and peaceful nation through a democratic polity in keeping with the verdict of the sovereign people.
“While upholding mutual harmony and unity during the elections to the Constituent Assembly being held on April 10, 2008, we call upon all adult citizens to exercise their democratic right in a free and fair environment,” the King said in a message to the nation.
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Khum Bahadur Khadka demands suspension of vote; capital blasts
By Bhola B Rana
Kathmandu, 9 April: Nepali Congress Wednesday rejected former Home Minister and Congress candidate Khum Bahadur Khadka’s demand for suspension of Thursday’s election in his Dang constituency where his police guards shot dead seven Maoists and injured at least one dozen others overnight.
Khadka Wednesday fled Lamahi and took shelter in Nepalgung.
Khadka said there was no atmosphere for a vote in his constituency.
He charged Maoists for threatening his life and lives of his family members.
Khadka also charged Maoists for overpowering his supporters before the firing broke out.
Altogether eight Maoists and one candidate were killed in violence after campaigning ended .
Election Commission announced fresh election in Surkhet-1 on 19 April after CPN-UML candidate Rishi Prasad Sharma was killed..
CPN-UML charged Congress for the murder of its candidate who was challenging influential Congress candidate Purna Bahadur Khadka who is close of Sher Bahadur Deuba—a former prime minister and pretender to the office of the prime minister.
Congress denied the charge.
Government has ordered probes of the firings in the two districts after strong protests from CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist).
‘The violence is unprecedented. I had only heard of clashes on election day,” Shyam Sharma of Gyaneshwor said.
Voting for the 601-member constituent assembly begins at seven [01.15 GMT]A 10-hour vote begins at seven in the morning Thursday; Election Commission said all preparations for the vote have been completed.
Four bomb blasts rocked the capital Wednesday afternoon.
There were no casualties or damage in bombings in front of Bir Hospital, Jamal and Bishwa Jyoti Cinema.
Ranabir Sena took responsibility for the blasts.
Thirty YCL were arrested in Rupandhaehi with arms as they were going towards Nepalgung.
Clashes and abductions, involving mainly Congress, CPN-UML and Maoists have been reported from other parts of the country.
Maoists said the voting will be held Thursday despite the deadly violence.
Chairman Prachanda is voting in Bharatpur, Chitwan and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala will cast hisballot in his hometown Biratnagar.
The EU election observation mission said it is deeply concerned with pre-election violence.
“We have noted with deep concern the level of violence that has taken place during the electoral process and we are following the security situation very carefully,” said Chief Observer Jan Mulder. “On the eve of this historic election, I call again on all those involved in the election to respect the fundamental right of every Nepali citizen to cast their vote on April 10 in a peaceful atmosphere without fear of intimidation or violence.”
Altogether 17.6 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots.
No party is expected to gain a clear majority.
CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said his party will try to form a government under its leadership if it even captures the most seats in the assembly that has a mandate to draft a constitution in the next two years.
The country is heading towards a new crisis and uncertainty after the vote and not peace and stability pushed by donors.
The widespread violence will keep voters away form the polls; turnout is expected to be low; a low turnout—less that the 64 percent below normal national average—won’t give legitimacy to a constitution proposed by the assembly.
The present ruling class threw the 1990 constitution to the dustbin after it didn’t suit them; Nepal on an average has had one constitution for every 10 years.
Rulers have thrown out the constitution when it didn’t suit their interests.
Nnnn


King calls for vote in free environment
By Bhola B Rana
Kathmandu, 9 April: On the eve of constituent assembly elections, the King in a message asked 17.6 million voters on election eve to exercise their vote in a free and fair manner.
He said a democratic policy shouldn’t compromise the country’s existence, independence and integrity.
“It has always been our desire to ensure that under no circumstance are the nation's existence, independence and integrity compromised and to build a prosperous and peaceful nation through a democratic polity in keeping with the verdict of the sovereign people.
“While upholding mutual harmony and unity during the elections to the Constituent Assembly being held on April 10, 2008, we call upon all adult citizens to exercise their democratic right in a free and fair environment,” the King said in a message to the nation.
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