MAOISTS FINALLY DECIDE TO JOIN GOVT (BREAKNG NEWS).

MAOISTS FINALLY DECIDE TO JOIN GOVT

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 1 March: Maoists finally decided to join the embattled government of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal who was elected 3 February with the support of UCPN (Maoist).
Maoist refusal tojoin the government after installing Khanal delayed the expansion of the four-member cabinet of UML nominees only.
Desperate to get into government after 22 months at any cost, the party standing committee Tuesday morning decided to join government even without grabbing the home ministry and amid opposition to an amendment by Khanal’s UML to a secret 7-point agreement between the chairmen of the two communist parties.
Under pressure from Khanal critics inside his party, the agreement was amended as the party also decided not to award the home ministry, described as a security-related ministry, to Maoists until the completion of the peace process.
Control of the home ministry would have given Maoists charge of Nepaal Police and Armed Police Force whose combined strength would be bigger than Nepal Army.
Chairman Prachanda, resigned 22 months ago as prime minister after a showdown with Nepal Army.
Maoists earlier twice refused to join the Khanal government charging UML of renegading of the agreement.
Maoists said they would only lend the government outside support to complete the peace process and proclaim a constitution by a 28 May deadline.
The Maoist standing committee will meet again Wednesday to select its government team, Deb Gurung said.
Maoists decided to join government less than 12 hours after Prahchanda said the party would take a bold decision to help Khanal expand government complete and foil attempts by foreigners and regressive forces at home to stop the UCPN (Maoist) from coming to power.
Khanal said his party would retain the home portfolio and asked Maoists to join government.
Maoists are joining the government even as they didn’t get a UML response to what was described as a ‘hazy’ interpretation of the amended 7-point agreement by the premier’s party.
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SAARC GETS FIRST WOMAN SECRETARY GENERAL

Kathmandu, 1 March: Fathimath Dhiyana of Maldives will takeover as the first woman secretary general of the eight-nation SAARC Tuesday in 26 years.
She was attorney general
Dhiyana succeeds India’s Dr. Sheel Kant Sharma in the South Asian regional grouping whose members are: Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
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