Baburam Bhattarai flies for India

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 25 Feb.: Two top Maoist leaders Dr Baburam Bhattarai and military commander Barshaman Pun Ananta flew for India Thursday to participate in an Indian-government seminar to discuss Nepal’s political situation amid a prolonged deadlock.
The seminar in being held in Patna, the capital of the state of Bihar.
The two leaders accepted an Indian government invitation despite the main opposition party’s anti-government nation-wide campaign opposing what thy call Indian interference in Nepal’s internal affairs.
Top leaders of other parties are also participating in the seminar.
Bimalendra Nidhi of Nepali Congress and Pradip Nepal of UML are also participating in the two-day conference.
Retired army and police officials are also participating.
Nepal’s leaders have no qualms in discussing internal politics in foreign soil—even in seminars organized by outside governments.
Indian government has been organizing such seminars when there’s a crisis in Nepal to gather opinion at one forum.
It is a money-saving formula to collect information and to influence minds by giving Indian inputs.
So-called Indian Nepal experts are participating in the conference.
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Maoists call off meet to expand central committee, politburo

Kathmandu, 25 Feb.: Maoist central committee meeting to appoint new members to the expanded central committee and politburo was called
Called off Thursday without expansion.
The party couldn’t agree on new members amid widespread differences in the main opposition.
Top leaders have been accused of nepotism while recommending names of new members.
The party said attention will instead be concentrated on drafting a constitution within the 28 May deadline and push the peace process.
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Gov. rejects foreign ministry proposal fm proposal passport


Kathmandu, 25 Feb.: In a big slap to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala, the cabinet Thursday rejected a proposal of the foreign ministry to give award a contract to an Indian government security press to issue machine readable passports without a tender.
A parliamentary committee also asked told the foreign ministry to issue passports within 1 April by issuing tenders.
At least five companies had submitted tenders for the contract.
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HLPM prioritized six issues

Kathmandu, 25 Feb.: A controversial high-level political mechanism (HLPM) Thursday prioritized six issues to be discussed at the mechanism’s next meeting possibly Tuesday.
Among the subjects are the drafting of the constitution, government formation and the reorganization of the current state structure.
Prime Minister Madhav Kimar Nepal,only an invited member, wasn’t present although the top leaders of Maoists, Congress and UML were assisted by subordinate leaders.
The HLPM met for the seventh time.


President’s warning

Kathmandu, 25 Feb.: Ceremonial President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Thursday cautioned a constitution should be drafted within the deadline to avoid political and constitutional crisis.
He said this while inaugurating a two-day meet annual meet of journalists in Nepalgunj.
He said the new constitution has to institutionalize political change.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“When the reinstated legislature declared Nepal a secular state in May 2006, the Indian ambassador was said to have gone into urgent consultations with the increasingly sidelined king. Both men, operating on a need-to know basis from the driving forces on their respective sides, apparently had little to discuss.”

(Maila Baje, People’s Review, 25 Feb.)

“What strikes me in their sense of entitlement [for Nobel Peace Price]. It is not so much the case that they think they deserve the highest
accolades because of their hard work or a talent nurtured, bit by
bit, with years of practice, but because they are some how qualified.”

(Biswas Baral, The Kathmandu Post, 25 Feb.)


“If parties aren’t don’t get together and move in 10 different directions, we won’t have to wait for 28 May. A disaster may occur today or tomorrow.”

(Chairman Subash Nemwang, Kantipur, 25 Feb.)
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