Nepali Congress considering takeover of govt. leadership

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 18 June: Nepali Congress (NC) central committee is continuing discussions for the second consecutive day Friday on the controversial 28 May tripartite agreement, its implementation and formation of a new government.
Discussions started Thursday after Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal asked leaders of 10 ruling coalition parties to seek his replace in government amid unrelenting demands from main opposition Maoists for his resignation.
The year-long political deadlock continued even after the 28 May tripartite agreement between Maoists, NA and UML even after the one-year extension of constituent assembly (CA) tenure until 28 May 2011.
Only the elected two-year CA tenure ended as the deadlock continued.
Maoists claim there was an unconditional agreement Nepal would resign five days after the agreement with NC and UML saying the resignation was conditional to Maoist implementation of an earlier six-point package agreement, including integration and resettlement of 19,000 plus combatants and dissolution of YCL.
Senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel are frontrunners to succeed Nepal from within the ruling coalition with General Secretary KB Gurung also staking a claim.
Acting President Sushil Koirala is neither a member of the CA nor parliament.
The Congress central committee Thursday kept the doors open for talks with Maoists who have staked a claim to form a government.
Maoist politburo meet to discuss Chairman Prachanda’s political report continues Friday.
Maoists are discussing, among other things, whether to join and lead a national government or stay in the opposition.
Politburo members will express their views Friday.
Party office bearers and standing committee members spoke Wednesday and Thursday.
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Four dead, 15 injured in Nawalparasi

Kathmandu, 18 June: Four persons were killed and 15 others were injured, five seriously, when a bus rammed against a stationary tanker at Panchanagar, Butaha, in Nawalparasi Friday morning.
The bus was heading for the capital from Bardiya.
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PM Nepal continuing consultations with Asian envoys

Kathmandu, 18 June: Embattled Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is continuing discussions with Asian ambassadors Friday when he meets separately with ambassadors of Sri Lanka, Thailand and South Korea Friday.
He began consultations Thursday separately interacting with envoys of China and Pakistan.
Nepal started consultations amid reports he’s preparing to quit under heavy Maoist pressure.
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Former King Gyanendra offers prayers and puja in Birgunj

Kathmandu, 18 June: Former King Gyamendra offered prayers and puja at Gahawamai temple in Birgunj late Thursday afternoon as he was greeted by supporters and well-wishers.
One day earlier he inaugurated temple in Parwanipur.

He has made Simara a base for visits of Bara and Parsa districts
in the central terai; Shah is staying at the house of Prabhu SJB Rana--a friend and relative.
The last Shah king returns to the capital Sunday; the then king previously prayed and offered worship at temples in Janakpur, the birthplace of Sita, and Nepalgunj.
US Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi is also currently visiting the two central terai districts as well.
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Former premier Krishna Prasad Bhattarai discharged

Kathmandu, 18 June: Ailing former prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, 86, returned home Thursday after being discharged from Norvic Hospital where he was admitted for lung, heart and kidney malfunctioning,
He was hospitalized for observation and treatment for two weeks.
‘I’ve recovered. The obstacles in the country will be resolved soon. I believe the country’s stature will increase,” Bhattarai told reporters. “Despite an escalation in the political dispute, there’ll be an outlet.”
Bhattarai has been asked to come for a check-up next week.
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Maoist memorandum to govt.

Kathmandu, 18 June: The district leaders of UCPN (Maoist) in Sunsari submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Sunsari District Administration here today [Thursday]- calling for immediately halting works related to the study in connection with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Saptakoshi Multipurpose High Dam Project, RSS reports from Itahari.
A team led by UCPNM-Maoist Sunsari district in-charge Muksahang handed in the memorandum to the Chief District Officer Ram Prasad Thapaliya to be forwarded to the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is stated in the memorandum that the works relating to the preparation of the DPR of the project should be stopped immediately as the project was not in Nepal’s favour.
It is stated in the memorandum that the construction of the project will
Result in the submergence and geographical displacement of some that 100,000 people and hundreds of villages.
(Note: An Indian team is coming soon to prepare the report)
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12 more Indian Maoists killed

Kathmandu, 18 June: Indian security forces killed 12 Maoists, including three women, officials said today [Thursday], according to AFP from Kolkata.
The government launched a major offensive last year to tackle the worsening lelt-wing insurgency, but since then the Maoists have hit back with bloody strikes, including the massacre of 76 policemen in April.
The latest rebel deaths occurred late Wednesday when commandos and paramilitary special forces targeted about 45 Maoists in a village in Mindanapore district of West Bengal.
‘We found eight bodies and we have information that four more bodies were carried away by the Maoists while others were injured,” said Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh.
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No need for interim order

Kathmandu, 18 June: A special bench of the supreme court ruled Thursday there was no need to issue an immediate stay order against the one-year extension of the two-year elected tenure of the constituent assembly (CA) by one year until 28 May 2011 by parliament.
The special bench gave the verdict after parliament’s decision was challenged in the apex court arguing the extension was unconstitutional.
A constitution to institutionalize a republic declared three years ago by an unelected and self-appointed parliament couldn’t be completed within the allocated timeframe.
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Dates for Congress gnarl conventions [Correcting Thursday night’s story]

Kathmandu, 18 June: Nepali congress village, municipal, regional and district conventions will beheld in three phases, the party central committee announced.
Village and municipal general conventions will be held 25 July.
Regional conventions will be conducted 31 July and district conventions will be held 2 August.
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First civil service attempt to scale Himalayan peak

Kathmandu, 18 June: For the fist time in the country’s history, a team of Nepali civil servants is all set to scale the 5,550 meter high Mt Langtang, The Kathmandu Post reports.
Led by Secretary Lilamani Pokhrel, the team is leaving for the Langtang base camp on Friday.
“Ascending Mt Langtang is our preparatory effort. We are planning to scale Mt. Everest, the highest peak of the world, next spring,” Pokhrel told the Post.
The 20-member team includes two joint secretaries and junior government officials.
“Why should we be lethargic and be always seated on the chairs?” said Paudel, who once served as Secretary at the Tourism Ministry,
“We are not cowards and we want to prove that we are brave and courageous enough to do things.”
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Lakpa Sherpa to attempt K2 in Pakistan

Kathmandu, 18 June: Ms Lakpa Sherpa of Mount Everest face is flying for Pakistan Friday in her bid to scale the 8611 meters high K2, the world’s second tallest peak.
Mingma Sherpa is also attempting to climb the 8126meters high Nanga Parbat this summer in his bid to scale all the world’s 14 eight thousand meter high peaks.
Mingma will have to complete ascents of Nanga Parbatm Dhaulagiri in Nepal and another peak in Pakistan to complete his dream climbs.
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Sujata Koirala meets Indian Nepal point man amid crisis at home

Kathmandu, 18 June: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala met Indian’s Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao in separate meetings here today[Thursday], The Himalayan Times reports from New Delhi.
Koirala and Mukherjee dwelt on the kind of coalition government likely in Nepal in the near future, said Nepal’s Ambassador to India Rukma Shumshere Rana, who was privy to the meeting.
The main concern of the Indian side was Nepal should emerge as a peaceful and stable democracy. According to Rana, Mukherjee said the policy of the Indian government would remain the same—consensus on peace and constitution drafting processes.
Rana said India wants all contentious issues to be resolved before a national government was formed.
In her meetings with Indian Foreign Secretary, Koirala took up the issues of special ID cards and the reported displacement of Nepali migrants from Meghalaya.
The DPM thanked the government of India for rescuing 11 Nepalis from Kyrgyzstan along with scores of Indian students who were stranded in that country a few days ago.
(Note: Another Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar returned home Thursday after an eye operation and consultations with Indian leaders.)
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

35,700 applicants for Korean jobs; more could apply as deadline ends Friday

Kathmandu, 18 June: A total of 35,700 Nepali youths have submitted applications forms for the Korean Language Test (KLT) as of Thursday for jobs under the Employment Permit System (EPS) in South Korea, The Kathmandu Post reports.
The number is the highest among 15 countries who supply workers to Korea.
“This is the first time that we have received such a large number of applications. We have been told by Korea that the applications received from Nepal are a record high among the15 countries that have tied up with Korea for EPS jobs,” said Mohan Krishna Sapkota, director general of the Department of Foreign Employment.
The deadline for form collection ends on Friday.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“There are seven days in a week; resignation came any day; but its silly to expect a resignation Friday. It’s true the resignation of Prime Minister Nepal is coming because there’s an agreement to form a government of national understanding. The prime minister has to resign anytime.”

(Voluble UML leader KP Sharma Oli, Gorkhapatra, 18 June)

“’It’s wrong on the part of Europeans to favour Maoists.”

(Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar, 18 June)
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