Maoist no to CA tenure extension

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 14 May: Maoists Friday opposed the extension of the constituent assembly (CA) until the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal government.
Chaiman Prachanda said this at an interaction at the residence of Dr Devendra Raj Pandey, one of the so-called leaders civil society.
Ruling parties UML and Nepali Congress have agreed to extend the two-year tenure to prevent a political crisis.
The tenure can’t be extended without support of Maoists who hold 40 percent seats inn parliament where a bill has to be presented for two-third support.
Government Friday formed a nine-member ministerial committee to suggest what should be done to manage the situation when a constitution isn’t promulgated by the 28 May deadline,
The cabinet blamed Maoists for the impasse as accusations are traded,
Majority members of the UML parliamentary party leading the 22-party coalition recommended Friday to extend the mandate of the CA by one year through an 8th amendment to the interim constitution.
Some legislators suggested the tenure should be extended only six months.
The party central committee meets Saturday to discuss the recommendation.
with a clear schedule to extend promulgate a constitution within the extended deadline.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal reiterated Friday he won’t resign until Maoists dismantle PLA and YCL.
Nepali Congress and UML abandoned the pre-conditions under foreign pressure to conduct the 10 April 2008 CA assembly elections in which Maoists swept the popular vote.
Foreigners pressed to announce a republic without a popular vote; former US President Jimmy Carter of the Carter Center funded by EU member states, even pressed for elections when the center’s responsibility is to monitor whether elections and free and fair.
Thanks to Girija Prasad Koirala and foreign governments, communists have emerged as the largest force in Nepal following the elections sidelining the Nepali Congress which was the largest political party.
The battle now in Nepal is between communists and liberal democrats to now to proclaim a democratic constitution with a republic.
RPP-Nepal decided Friday to oppose any extension of the two-year tenure of the constituent assembly that ends 28May.
The royalist party concluded at a meeting Friday the extension will be against the will of the people who gave parties two years to institutionalize and sustain a republic after toppling the 238-year-old monarchy and the Shah dynasty of which King Gyanendra was the last king.
Among the protest programmes, the party decided to hold sit-ins before 75 district headquarters.
Gyanendra said monarchy isn’t dead as yet.
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Bamdev Gautam ordered to furnish another explanation

Kathmandu, 14 May: UML disciplinary commission Friday ordered Vice-chairman Bamdeb Gautam to furnish an explanation within one week for the third time for what the party calls indiscipline by demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal,
The committee headed by another Vice-chairman Amrit Bohara concluded Gautam’s two explanations were unsatisfactory.
Gautam has been championing a national government with Maoists opposed by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Some reports suggested Gautam may split the party for the second time.
He led a revolt which split the party over the signing of Mahakali River treaty with India
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Fire in outskirts of Dhankuta

Kathmandu, 14 May: A fire at Salleri community forest in Dhankuta entered a human settlement Friday afternoon.
The settlement is being evacuated.
The fresh fire started at three in the afternoon about 100 meters above the hill town .
A fire at Nainapur, Banke destroyed 25 houses resulting in millions of rupees of damage.
Nepal is suffering a prolonged dry spell before the onset of the annual monsoon.
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NC to resolve active member dispute

Kathmandu, 14 May: Nepali Congress formed a three-memver committee under Nahari Acharya to resolve an internal dispute on the distribution of party active membership.
The active leaders elect the new leadership at a party general convention in August.
Two factions allege irregularities in the membership distribution.
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Nepal, China trade accord

Kathmandu, 14 May” Nepal and China signed a trade agreement Friday giving Nepali exports duty free access to the Chinese market.
The agreement was signed at an official level.
The agreement should Nepal reduce its wide trade gap of 30 billion rupees annually.
China accorded the facility to Nepal as a least-developed country.
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