Jhalanath Khanal will push collective leadership in CPN-UML

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 25 Feb: Jhalanath Khanal said Wednesday he will push collective leadership in the CPN-UML after being directly elected chairman of the party for the first time one day earlier by the general convention.
The central committee previously elected the party chief.
“I will work for collective leadership and internal democracy has been strengthened after the vote. There will be a high-level of division of labour as well,” Khanal told Radio Nepal.
Khanal defeated his only rival KP Sharma Oli.
He said he will work for ’goodwill and understanding in government’.
Khanal has been elected to lead the party for the third time and added ‘during the historic transition’ there were six responsibilities,
He said the new constitution in must be drafted within the May 2010 deadline and the peace process must be concluded.
“There should be only one national army.” he added.
Khanal said ‘national unity should be reinforced and all Nepalis should be united’ defeating separatist forces.
Former General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal who didn’t contest elections said,” The new leadership should unite the party.”
Khanal said multi-party people’s democracy will be the party’s guiding principle while denying he was pro-Maoist adding he will push unity after election in the party.
Votes are being counted Wednesday for the election of 115 central committee members.
Results of elections for chairmen, general secretary, vice-presidents and secretaries were announced Tuesday night.
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Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav leaving for Sri Lanka

Kathmandu, 25 Feb; Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav flies for Sri Lanka later Wednesday to attend a foreign ministers’ conference of SAARC member states.
The meet begins of the seven-nation grouping begins in Colombo Friday.
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Maoists, Nepali Congress disagree on type of govt.

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 25 Feb: Girija Prasad Koirala, president of the main opposition Nepali Congress Tuesday opposed a presidential system of government being pushed by Maoists.
The difference in the system of government could be problematic in drafting a constitution.
Unified CPN (Maoist) and Nepali Congress are Nepal’s two biggest political parties.
“Nepali Congress is for drafting a constitution that will strengthen the parliamentary and not a presidential system.
“Authoritarianism can again surface by making a president strong.. We must frame a constitution that reinforces multi-party system,” Koirala said in Biratnagar.
Koirala said this as Maoists have proposed a French and American style presidential system.
Unified CPN (Maoist) parliamentary party meeting is being later Wednesday to discuss a presidential system of government.
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President angry with Nepal Army for calling Nepali Congress terrorist

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 25 Feb: The relationship of President and Supreme Commander-in- Chief of Nepal Army Dr Ram Baran Yadav with the state army has suddenly deteriorated, Janaastha reports.
The army’s relationship with the government and defence ministry is bad.
The president, at the last moment, refused to launch a 1000-page book prepared by the army; the book was entitled: History of Nepal Part 2.
The book brackets Nepali Congress as a terrorist group.
The book was to be released Monday on Army Day.
The book refers to ‘terrorists’ sent to Solokhumbu during the rule of King Mahendra; the Royal Nepal Army was deployed against them.

[Note: Nepali Congress then launched an anti-king and anti-panchayat campaign from bases in India.]
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Was it not your father [Girija] who turned Nepal into a secular country instead of retaining it as a Hindu nation?”

(BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani asking Sujata Koirala as she complained of anti-religious Maoist activities, newsfront, 25 Feb.)

“Service tax directives clearly state that the tax [education service] should be paid by the service bearers. The private schools are only the mediators to collect the tax and submit it to the government and the guardians will be the ultimate tax payers.”

(PABSON, The Himalayan Times, 25 Feb.)
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