First confrontation between police and Maoists in capital; other details (DEVELOPING STORY)

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 3 May: Police lobbed teargas shells and fired in the air Monday evening at Gongabu in the capital when Maoists attempted to vandalize a motorcycle there in the first clash between police and Maoists in two days.
There was no direct confrontation in the capital when Maoists launched their indefinite strike nation-wide Sunday.
As prices of essential supplies soared, Maoists padlocked the vegetable market at Kalamati.
Ten ruling coalition partners decided Monday the Madhav Kumar Nepal government can be changed either through consensus or through a no-confidence vote in parliament and not through street protests.
‘I don’t know from where got the wireless message from,” Maoist Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai told a rally Sundhara Monday claming the prime minister had given a written commitment to the UML he would resign after returning from Bhutan following the 16th SAAC summit.
Bhattarai said instead Nepal convened a meeting of the national security council and decided to deploy security forces following a meeting with Dr Manmohan Singh.
He echoed the earlier revelation of UML Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam.
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Cabinet authorizes PM to decide on mandate of UNMIN

Kahmandu, 3 May: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal was empowered by the cabinet Monday to decide on the mandate of UNMIN which ends 15 May, a government official said after the cabinet meet.
An aide to the to the government chief earlier said Nepal has assured UNMIN chief Karen Landgren the mandate would be extended again as she left Sunday for New York when the security council discusses renewing the mandate.
Nepal’s assurance came following pressures from western donors to extend the mandate of UNMIN which is their front in Nepal.
Western countries are seeking a hold on Nepal though the UNMIN which was invited by political parties, including Maoists.
Maoists decry foreign presence but are also lobbying for the continued presence on the UN which has come under heavy criticism from ruling parties as a ‘tail’ of Maoists.
It can’t be effective now with such a charge.
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