Nepali Congress launching awareness campaign Sunday

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 25 Oct: Main opposition Nepali Congress us launching a nation-wide national awareness campaign from Biratnagar Saturday following poor performance in the 10 April CA election and charges Maoists are trying to impose a totalitarian system through a people’s republic.
Ailing President Girija Prasad Koirala, who is launching the campaign from his hometown says he will continue his fight for democracy.
The campaign of the divided Congress, which Koirala says isn’t fully united psychologically, will be held in all 240 electoral districts.
Maoists emerged as the largest single party following the assembly vote to the surprise of the Nepali Congress and have seized the political initiate while heading a government.
Uncertainty prevails in the country.
With the declaration of a republic, Koirala thought the last battle for democracy had been fought and the future generation wouldn’t have to worry about a constitution.
Koirala knew what would be forthcoming when he brought the Maoists into the political mainstream mainly with Indian guidance in 2005 although the Congress and CPN (Maoists) were ideologically divided on democracy.
Koirala himself has repeatedly confessed he took a gamble.
Maoists are now pushing a people’s republic without a parliamentary system, which they say is discredited, and want to impose the rule on the proletariat.
Maoists argue a parliamentary and democratic republic will still continue tobe dominated by what they call feudals.
The drafting of the constitution will be problematic with the differences even as two groups led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Mohan Baidya Kiran respectively advocate a democratic republic and people’s republic.
But Prachanda still says a democratic republic is only one phase of a continuing struggle to achieve a final Maoist goal.
Maoists, it appears, are only juggling with words, as they attempt to hold on to state power after emerging from the jungle and India after a 11-year people’s war.
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New controversy in special Nepal Army, PLA integration committee

Kathmandu, 25 Oct: A new controversy emerged Saturday is the formation of a special committee of four top parties to form a special committee to integrate the Nepal Army and Maoist PLA.
Main Nepali Congress is now demanding ruling parties CPN (Maoist), CPN-UML, MJF and the main opposition should be represented in the committee by two members.
Congress rejected a Maoists demand it should be represented by two members in the committee fearing the CPN (Maoist) will have a majority in the committee to enforce its decision.
Maoists want full integration of the former rebel forces and the state army to form what they call a national army.
Full integration has been rejected by two other coalition partners and Nepali Congress.
Surya Bahadur Thapa, chairman of Rashtriya Janasakti Party, Friday joined hands with Nepali Congress to oppose integration.
The cabinet is meeting later Saturday to discuss integration and a committee formation for it.
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Congress appointed ambassadors are being recalled

Kathmandu, 25 Oct: Breaking an agreement with the seven parties and the previous government, government is recalling ambassadors from three major capitals, Surendra Paudel reports in Nepal Samacharpatra.
Surendra Chalise, Murari Raj Sharma and Durgesh Man Singh are being recalled from Washington DC, London and New Delhi respectively.
They were Congress appointed.
In the previous government, Nepali Congress had appointed seven, CPN-UML six and Maoists three ambassadors.
A proposal for recall the ambassadors is being taken to the cabinet Saturday.
The three will be replaced by a representative from the foreign ministry and a nominee each of Maoists and Madesh Janaadhikar Forum.
Hira Bahadur Thapa, foreign advisor of the prime minister and a joint secretary, is being appointed ambassador.
Maoists are considering nominating either Bishnu Hari Nepal or Janak Shah while Forum could nominate Shyam Nandan Suman or Arjun Thapa.
Suma is foreign department chief in Forum.
In the second phase, government is considering recalling Congress nominees Baijanath Thapaliya, Dr Surya Nath Mishra, Nabin Jung Shah and Bal Bahadur Kunwar from Israel, Qatar, Thailand and Pakistan respectively.
Ambassador to Germany Madan Kumar Bhattarai has been recalled after completing his term.
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.Former minister of state for home Dr Gangadhar Lamsal dead

Kathmandu, 25 Oct: Former Minister of State of Home from Nepali Congress Dr Gangadhar Lamsal die din Bangkok while undergoing treatment.
His body is being brought to Bangkok.Saturday for cremation.
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