Prachanda holds discussions with Shyam Sharan; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 5 Aug: Maoist Chairman Prachanda Thursday morning held discussions with Shyam Sharan, Special Envoy of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, ahead of Friday’s fourth round of election for prime minister to succeed.
Prachanda was assisted by Vice-chairmen Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidya, Narayan Kazi Shrestha, General; Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa and Spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara.
Sharan is holding separate meetings with NC Acting President Sushil Koirala and UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal Thursday.
Three rounds of voting in the 599-member parliament to elect Caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal have been inconclusive..
Maoists forced the resignation of Nepal more than ago but continues in office for more than one month.
The deadlock between the Maoists, NC and UML has brought the county to a halt; the government hasn’t even presented the full budget of the fiscal l2010/11 to parliament.
‘I am here as the special envoy of our prime minister to forge consensus for peace and constitution,” Sharan said in a brief arrival statement.” As an immediate neibhbour, Nepal’s political stability and eonomic progress is our concern.”
Work on drafting a constitution has been stalled more than two months after three major parties extended the two-year elected tenure of the constituent assembly (CA) by one year until 28 May 2011.
The peace process which was to be completed in six months after the signing of a peace agreement in 2006 hasn’t been completed in more than three years.
India brokered the 12-pointpeace agreement in New Delhi and Sharan played a crucial role—hence New Delhi’s concern.
Sharan, a former ambassador to Nepal, not helped broker the peace agreement between parliamentary parties and Maoists but also as a point-man for his government managed the transition from monarchy to a republic.
Nepalis are suffering particularly because of the stalled peace process with communists at the helm of affairs.
In the third round of voting this week, 11 members of 25 lawmakers ofthe MJFN defected and votes for Maoists.
Prachanda couldn’t muster the majority vote to defeat his NC rival
Ram Chandra Paudel.
Sharan began political discussions Wednesday by meeting ceremonial President Dr Ram Baran Yadav;
The Indian envoy held discussions with Madesh parties during a dinner meeting at the Indian embassy.
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Schools closed

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Eleven student organizations Thursday forcible closed down schools nationwide.
Unions were protesting the proficiency certificate phase-out by Tribhuvan University.
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Bangladesh to host peace keeping center

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Bangladesh will host the Association of Asia Pacific Peacekeeping Training Center which will act as a form to share peacekeeping experiences and exchange training of troops for UN operations, an announcement said.
Commandants of 10 countries of the Asia and Pacific region agreed to this during a four-day meet that concluded in the capital Wednesday.
Nepal hosted the meet of commandants for the first time.
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Three, including two infants injured in bomb blast

Kathmandu, 5 Aug: Three persons, including two infants, were injured in an overnight bomb blast at a house in Gaur, Rautahat.
The house belonged to a VDC secretary.
VDC secretaries have been resigning en masse nationwide amid extortion and other threats.
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Oman Air to begin Muscat, Kathmandu flights

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Oman Air will begin direct flights between Muscat and Kathmandu 2 September, the airline said.
Kathmandu will be airline’s 40th destination.
The flight will be operated by Boeing 737-700.
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Naxalites kill 9 in Chhattisgarh

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Suspected Maoists rebels ambushed police officers and set off a roadside explosion in separate attacks eastern India, killing nine people, police said, according to a radio reports.
At least four police officers on a patrol were killed on Wednesday, in a forest near Kirandul, village in Chhattisgarh state, a police officer said on condition of anonymity.
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Rift in Maoist camp
KATHMANDU, Aug.: 5: -
The UCPN (Maoist) has plunged into a serious internal dispute over whether to end the ongoing Prime Minister electoral process or adopt a ‘new course’.

Party Vice Chairman Babu Ram Bhattarai’s faction wants to end the poll process and amend Parliamentary regulations to form a unity government. “A majority government can’t draft the statute or complete the peace process,” said Maoist Politburo member Devendra Poudel.

For the amendment to the regulations, both Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poduel must withdraw their candidacy.

However, Dahal’s supporters are stressing that he stands to win, what with rifts having cropped up in CPN-UML and the Madhes-based parties.

In Wednesday’s office bearer meeting, Bhattarai stressed on a new course but was turned down by the Dahal faction. “UML wants us to withdraw to pave the way for a consensus government, but it’s irrelevant at this point,” said Maoist Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha. Dahal had the last word, saying there would be no withdrawing. His faction reasons that due to NC’s opposition a consensus government is impossible even if the new course is adopted.

The Bhattarai faction says a unity government is possible if he is put up as the candidate. “NC, UML and foreign forces have said they don’t trust Chairman Dahal due to his performance when he was prime minister,” said a Maoist leader. “They would support Bhattarai.”

The Bhattarai faction is for a “compromise statute “ while Dahal’s faction is for revolt if a ‘Janabadi’ statute is not ensured, said a Maoist politburo member. “It’s a do or die situation — if Bhattarai forms a government, his line will prevail in the party. If he fails Dahal’s line of revolt will prevail leading to Bhattarai’s downfall.”

While the Dahal-Bhattarai cold war will be the prime agenda in the coming “extended meeting” of the party, it’s too early to say if the party will split.

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