PM Prachanda hopeful Congress will join govt

Kathmandu, 19 Oct: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda said he’s hopeful main opposition Nepali Congress will join government.
Prachanda made the claim despite repeated statements of President .Girija Prasad Koirala’s the party will remain in the opposition.
“As far as I understand, he is gradually becoming positive about joining government,” the prime minister said in Mahendranagar Saturday.
Dahal said he will discuss the issue with Koirala on return to the capital.
Nnnn

CPN-UML leader dead

Kathmandu, 19 Oct: CPN-UML senior leader Siddhinath Gauatam,74, died Saturday.
Gautam was suffering leukemia.
He was a central advisor.
Nnnn


Sushil Koirala renews charges against UNMIN

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 19 Oct: despite denial of UNMIN Chief Ian Martin, Nepali Congress Acting President Sushil Koirala renewed charges the world body was partial to the Maoists.
Martin said last week UNMIN only had a limited role in Nepal.
“UNMIN speaks on small incidents that affect Maoists and reacts immediately when incidents happen in Maoist cantonments. Should UNMIN watch helplessly when there are thousands of victims of Maoists?” Koirala asked in the capital Saturday.
Koirala charged UNMIN remained silent when armed combatants came out of camps and inconvenienced people.
“UNMIN should be conscious about all; it only expresses big concerns about Maoists,” Koirala said.
Koirala said UNMIN should talk about Maoist walkout of cantonments to influence balloting and excesses.
“Both UN and UNMIN should be serious about unruly behaviour of Maoists,” Koirala suggested.
Nnnn

Italian couple climbs Manaslu

Kathmandu, 19 Oct: Italian couple Romano Benet and Nives Meroi scaled the 8163 meters high Manaslu 4 October to become the only husband, wife team to climb the world’s 11 tallest peaks over 8000 meters
They hope to scale the remaining three eight thousanders Annapurna, Makalu and Kangchenjunga in Nepal.
They stepped atop Mount Everest in 2007.
nnnn .

CA meets after dasain recess

Kathmandu, 19 Oct: The CA meets later Sunday after a dasain recess.
It will continue discussions on the supplementary budget.
The assembly hasn’t begun discussions on drafting a new constitution even six months after the 10 April elections.
There’s still no agreement between 25 parties on rules and regulations for a constitution drafting committee.
Smaller parties are demanding a conscience vote opposed by larger parties.
Nnnn

CPN-UML for organizational change

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 19 Oct: CPN-UML has opted to restore the position of party chairman abandoned after the death of Prime Minister Manmohan Adhikari.
The general secretary is the most powerful person in the party now.
But the party is yet to decide whether the chairman or the general secretary will be more powerful.
A meeting of 805 national parkers made the recommendation Friday.
The eighth general convention will now be held in Butwal from 18 to 21 February instead of the capital.
The convention will approve the organizational change.
Madhav Kumar Nepal could contest the chairmanship after he handed over general secretary responsibilities to Jhalanath Khanal who said the party is ready to remove the UML suffix from the organization’s name.
Khanal said this Saturday even as CPN (Maoist) is also discussing a proposal to remove the Maoist suffix.
China says the name of its founder it being defamed.
The party decided to fight what it called ‘the authoritarian activities’ even while joining the Maoist led government.
Leader Ishwar Pokhrel said the party took the decision after Maoists didn’t mend their ways.
Party office bearers will now be elected only for two terms in a move described as promoting inner party democracy by leader Raghuji Pant.
To attract youth, the meeting decided youth will constitute one third members of all party committees.
Elections will be held henceforth for membership of all party committees.
The national meet decided to reinforce the Youth Force to combat Maoist YCL amid demands the force be disbanded.
Nnnn

Three girls drown in Morang

Kathmandu, 19 Oct: Three girls aged 13 to 15 years drowned Saturday:at Janapath tole in Biratnagar while frolicking.
AMita Rai, 15, Kalpana Bista, 13 and Sita Sarki, 13, fell into a pond.
They were pulled out but died in hospital while undergoing treatment.
Nnnn