Shyam Sharan completes discussions with party leaders

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Shyam Sharan, special emissary of Indian Prime Minister Mohan Singh, Thursday held separate talks with top leaders of UCPN (Maoist), NC and UML.
He first held talks with Maoist Chairman Prachanda and then held discussions with NC Acting President Sushil Koirala and UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal.
Sharan arrived Wednesday for a two-day visit amid stalled attempts to elect a prime minister to succeed Caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Leaders on all three parties said talks didn’t center around government formation though.
They said dialogue centered around completing the peace process and drafting a constitution.
Sharan is also holding discussions with PM Nepal before flying back home.
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Chairman Nemwang discusses stalled constitution drafting

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Constituent assembly (CA) Chairman Subash Nemwang Thursday asked chief whips of three bid political parties to thrash out differences on a proposed constitution to ensure its promulgation
by the second 28 May 2011 deadline.
Parties have concentrated their entire attention of forming a government after the deadline was extended 28 May 2010.
The chairman and whips are again meeting Sunday.
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Supreme Court starts recording statements of Shobraj lawyer

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: A division bench of the Supreme Court Thursday began recording statement for the second consecutive of Sakantula Thapa, lawyer of French serial killer Charles Shobraj.
Statement of her daughter Nihita Biswas, who claims to the wife Shobraj was also recorded of Thursday.
They were remanded to judicial custody Wednesday after their statements weren’t completed.
They are facing contempt of court charges after challenging an apex court verdict confirming the life sentence on Shobraj for the murder of an American backpacker in the 1970’s in the capital.
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Son-in-law of former king enters politics

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Raj Bahadur Singh, son-in-law of former King Gyanendra, has entered politics, Naya Parika reports.
He joined Nepali Janata Dal which accepts federalism, democratic republic and secularism.
The party led by Hari Charan Shah has two lawmakers—Gayatri Shah and Dr Bishwanath Agrawal—in parliament.
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70 Indian policemen missing after Naxalite attack

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: As many as 70 policemen are missing after Maoist rebels ambushed a security patrol in central India today [Wednesday], police said, in what could be one of the worst attacks this year in a worsening insurgency, Reuters reports from Rajpur.
Police said a gun battle continued in the dense southern jungles of Chhattisgarh state, a rebel stronghold, and communication was difficult because it was raining heavily.
The ambush planed by about 200 Maoists fighters highlights the strong rebel presence there.
“We estimate around 70 policemen are missing. We have not been able to establish contact,” TJ Longkumar, a police inspector general told Reuters.
In April, a similar ambush by Maoists killed 75 policemen and a month later 35 people, including security forces, died when the rebels bombed a bus. Both attacks occurred in Chhattisgarh.
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Geography of political thought

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.:As many legislators voted for Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as cast their ballots against Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel in the second round of voting for prime minister last week, Maila Baje reports in Nepali Netbook.
Unless the frenzied behind-the-scenes jockeying that we all can sense is under way produces something spectacular, Nepal seems set for an extended spell of parliamentary gaucherie.
Yet there seems to be a dark horse lurking behind the shenanigans. Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Democratic) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar has made no secret of his prime ministerial ambitions. Given the unabashed way in which the Madhes-based parties are bent on extracting their pound of flesh, Gachhadar’s time may have indeed come.
The president and vice-president already represent the region and a premier with roots there is unlikely to resolve the Madhes issue. After all, playing up the discrimination card has proved politically potent for all within the country and geopolitically invaluable for those outside. Nepalis, for their part, have recognized the geographic, ethnic, linguistic and socio-cultural variations in the debate. But non-Madhesis, apparently, are expected to be more of listeners than anything else.
If Girija Prasad Koirala was not considered rooted deeply enough locally to prevent a haemorrhage toward regionalism from the Nepali Congress – including some longtime loyalists – no ethnic hillsman or woman can expect to drive the deliberations. Yet the agenda needs to be advanced in a manner consistent with the aspirations of all Nepalis if a constitution with a modicum of credibility is to emerge.
Gachhadar remains part of the madhesi alliance whose common platform barely disguises its divisions. Still, he wields enough individual and ideological distinctiveness to rise to the occasion. As a Tharu, Gachhadar could refocus attention on the nuances of the Madhes debate. A supporter of restoring the Hindu character of the Nepali state, he could inject relevance into the national picture whose hues have shifted after the heady exhilaration of the spring of 2006.
Now that we have heard rumors of an estimated price tag of 200 million rupees on Nepali secularism, there is some urgency to revisit the haste with which Nepalis had to let go of Hinduism before contemplating casting aside the kingdom. Although Gachhadar has not explicitly endorsed the restoration of the monarchy, he certainly possesses the capacity to press forward that side of the national debate as well.
Then there is Gachhadar’s recent open claim, fresh from consultations in New Delhi, that he enjoys India’s blessings as far as the unfolding political developments are concerned. Considering that assertion, the Chinese can be expected to become more energetic in opposing or co-opting him. The Americans would have an easy time playing both sides. On the bright side, you wouldn’t have to be a terminal cynic to appreciate the invigorating candor of it all.
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