Report creates sensation

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 28 Nov: A claim Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and Chairman Prachanda reached a secret agreement at a Singapore hotel this month to change leadership has created a sensation.
A leak said under a deal between the two leaders, Koirala would replace President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Prachanda would head a new government.
Prachanda after returning from Singapore where he held discussions with controversial Indian academician Prof SD Muni has predicted a change of guard.
Maoists denied the report amid silence from Nepali Congress.
“There was no written or oral agreement in Singapore. Discussions were held not to continue the deadlock and both sides should take a moderate stance and form a high-level political mechanism,” said Krishna Bahadur Mahara, party foreign depart chief who was present at the meet.
A newspaper report claimed there was a seven-point agreement between Koirala and Prachanda.
Mahara said the report was an ‘attempted sabotage’.
Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood held consultations with Koirala Friday.
CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, who was not present at the Koirala, Prachanda meet, said Saturday in the capital he had no faith in the newspaper report.
Nnnn


Another Indian sermon

Kathmandu, 28 Nov: A senior Indian political of a ruling party in India is again in the capital preaching how Nepal should conduct its affairs.
“To draft a new constitution is to maintain civilian supremacy.
:Anybody can go to power through election after drafting a constitution,” DP Tripathi, general secretary of the Indian National Congress of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Friday.
He said this after consultations on Nepal’s internal matters with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Chairman Prachanda and other top party leaders.
Tripathi is in town amid the third round of anti-government protests by Maoists and delay in drafting a constitution to replace an interim basic document drafted by a self-appointed and unelected parliament that declared a republic without a referendum.
He is in town after Surya Bahadur Thapa, Khanal, Pashupati SJB Rana and Upendra Yadav held consultations with top Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Singh.
Nnnn

Sunday declared public holiday

Kathmandu, 28 Nov: Government has declared Sunday a public holiday.
The holiday was declared to observe Bakkar-Eid.
nnnn

Footballer dead

Kathmandu, 28 Nov: Former national soccer player Narendra man Singh, 51, died Friday.
He was suffering jaundice.
Nnnn

One shot dead in Chitwan

Kathmandu, 28 Nov: One person was shot dead
overnight at the Chitwan national Park in a clash with Nepal Army security guards.
Army has been deployed to protest endangered wildlife.
nnnn

Two bombs defused at RPP-Nepal office

Kathmandu, 28 Nov: Two bombs were defused at the RPP-Nepal office at Chudaldebi in the capital Saturday morning.
A caller claimed the bombs were planted against opponents of a federal structure and a republic.
Nnnn

EC appoints ambassador

Kathmandu, 28 Nov: Alexander Spachis has been nominated first resident ambassador of the European Commission to Nepal, The Kathmandu Post reports.
He is currently the Commission’s charge d’affaires in Nepal.
nnnn

TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Kathmandu, 28 Nov: Asian Development Bank (ADB) which holds 15 percent shares in the West Seti Hydropower Project, has decided to withdraw its stake from the project, The Rising Nepal reports from Dhangadi.
The 750 MWA project requires an estimated Rs 220 billion. SMEK, which is the prime investor and has played the managerial role, had been given additional tome till 31 December for financial management.
Nnnn

NRB to handover management of Nepal Bangladesh Bank

Kathmandu. 28 Nov: Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) which has taken charge of Nepal Bangladesh Bank (NBB) decided to hand over the bank’s responsibility to the new elected board by holding its annual general meeting on 13 January 2010, The Kathmandu Post reports.
NBB has remained under NRB control since November 2006 as the bank was in financial trouble as a result of mismanagement at the hands of its key promoter, NB group.
The NRB board meeting of Thursday decided to relinquish control over the bank as its condition had improved to a large extent.
Nnnn

MEDIA GOOGLE

“What a long queue! Is it for rice or salt?”

(One person asks another in front of KFC outlet, cartoon in The Rising Nepal, 28 Nov.)

“A party with a private army and weapons cannot be of the people.”

(PM Nepal, Annapurna Post, 28 Nov.)
nnnn

nnnn