Former king, queen fly for New Delhi

Kathmandu, 25 Feb: Former King Gyanendra and Queen Komal flew for New Delhi by a regular flight of Jet Air Wednesday.
The couple is scheduled to attend a wedding ceremony of a relative in India during a two week stay.
For the first time after the declaration of a republic, they left the country.
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Jhalanath Khanal calls for national govt.

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 25 Feb: Newly elected CPN-UML General Secretary Jhalanath Khanal Wednesday called for a government of national consensus that includes Nepali Congress.
Khanal also said the party will lead such a government, if asked.
He asked not to label pro or anti-Maoist charges on him.
The 8th general convention of the CPN-UML general convention ended in Butwal four days behind schedule Wednesday by adopting a 25-point proposal.
The convention directly elected a new leadership for the first time by electing Khanal a powerful executive chairman.
The second powerful man to emerge in the party is Ishwor Pokhrel who was elected general secretary.
Khanal asked Maoists to run government on agreed democratic principles.
The convention asked the government to be cautious on imposing education tax on schools and not to put psychological pressure on children.
The government had said students from schools that don’t pay education
Tax won’t be permitted from appearing for SLC examinations.
The ruling party border encroachments must stop.
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Unified CPN (Maoist) adopts presidential system of government

Kathmandu, 25 Feb: A constituent assembly meeting of the Unified CPN (Maoist) Wednesday adopted a presidential system of government opposed by the main opposition Nepali Congress which argues the system will be dictatorial.
Congress has opted for a parliamentary system of government.
The assembly meeting elected Narayan Kazi Srestha deputy leader of the parliamentary party which is headed by Prime Minister Prachanda.
Analysts said this is a blow to Dr Baburam Bhattarai.
“Dictatorial system will emerge if a presidential system is adopted,” Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala reiterated.
Dr Bhattarai denied the claim.
Bhattarai said presidential system is there in USA and Nepal should go for a presidential system like in France and Sri Lanka.
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