Maoist student activists close down schools for second day

Kathmandu, 26 April: Maoist student activists closed down boarding schools for the second consecutive day Monday demanding annulment of a decision to hike fees with the beginning of the new academic year.
Students of 10,000 schools have been affected by the forced closure.
PABSON Monday asked education officials to create an atmosphere for the re-opening of schools.
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PM Nepal consults 10 ruling parties

Kathmandu, 26 April: Beleaguered Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Monday held consultations with 10 parties of the ruling coalition aafter an overnight meeting with senior ministers and security chiefs to tackle a show of strength by Maoists 1 May to topple the government.
Army Chief Gen Chatraman Singh Gurung was also present
Maoists have threatened to take to the streets on May Day to create an atmosphere for the formation of a national government under its leadership.
Nepal said he won’t oblige Maoists by resigning.
The country is heading for a political crisis as it’s now certain a constitution to institutionalize a republic declared by unelected parliament won’t be promulgated by the 28 May deadline.
No discussions have been held in the last several days to promulgate a constitution.
Instead, politics is centered around toppling and retaining the government.
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Visiting US diplomat holds discussions with PM Nepal

Kathmandu, 26 April: Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert O. Blake Jr. held discussions with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal as the country heads towards a political crisis being created by the failure to promulgate a constitution by the 28 May deadline.
USA firmly backed political parties to topple monarchy and declare a republic.
A constitution has to be promulgated to institutionalize a republic which has already been declared by an unelected parliament.
Blake leaved for Bhutan to lead a US observer team at the SAARC summit.
PM Nepal leaves for Thimpu, the Bhutanese capital, to lead the Nepali team to the summit of eight South Asian nations.
Bhutan is hosting for annual summit for the first time.
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Maoists boycott parliament

Kathmandu, 26 April: Main opposition Maoists boycotted parliament Sunday protesting the appointments of chiefs of constitutional bodies by the constitutional council headed by the prime minister.
Main opposition leader Chairman Prachanda wasn’t present at the council meeting which made the appointments.
He claimed he came to know of the meetings only through news reports.
A writ was filed at the supreme court Sunday of the chairman’s behalf claiming the appointments were illegal and unconstitutional.
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