PM FAILS TO ADDRESS PARLIAMENT

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 9 Feb.: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal couldn’t address a scheduled meeting of parliament Wednesday without forming his council of ministers.
A parliamentary rule says at least one minister has to be present at the PM’s address.
Parliament session was rescheduled for Thursday for the second time by posting a notice on the board.
A task force of UML and Maoists leading the communist alliance couldn’t agree on sharing ministerial berths with both partied demanding the home portfolio.
Maoists haven’t demanded control of the defence ministry after then Prime Minister and Maoist Chairman Prachanda resigned when the ceremonial president acted on behalf of 18 parties reinstating sacked Army Chief Gen. Rukmangud Katawal 21 months ago,
Khanal then opposed the presidential action and his party later sided with the president.
A seven-point agreement between Maoists and UML to appoint a
Separate independent until with former Maoists should be viewed against th background.
Creation of such a force will give Maoists command and control of
an armed unit is a state security agency to achieve a declared people’s republic objective.
Nepal is near a total communist takeover and Maoists have gained
an important leverage with the help of Khanal but opposed by some elements in his party described by some as ‘social democrats’ and not ‘extreme communists’.
The testing time for UML has come.
Leaders of both parties have said the present government was formed with ‘Nepali genius’.
Indian ambassador Rakesh Sood boycotted Sunday’s swearing-in ceremony of Khanal attended by other Kathmandu-based diplomats indicating New Delhi isn’t happy with the new administration.
Maoists openly have accused India of preventing them from assuming power even as top leaders admitted they spent they eight of 10 years not in the jungles of Nepal conducting the people’s war but in the Indian urban jungle.
Extreme communists have invited foreign presence in Nepal opposed by Maoists who until the last moment opposed the exit of UNMIN from Nepal 15 January.
UMNIM was the face of foreign presence in Nepal which was never colonized.
Recent revelations on Wikileaks quoting communications between US Embassy in Nepal and State Department confirm US pushed for international presence in Nepal after the king took over power more than four years ago as national institutions were maligned and so-called civil society promoted to bring in the UN and its agencies..
Washington has now reconciled to the withdrawal of UNMIN after a filed mission.
Washington which worked to stop Maoists from coming to power in Nepal failed in its mission with the extreme communists poided to take over Singha Durbar for the second following agreement with UML on a rotational government chief.
Khanal assumed office before Prachanda following a controversial seven-point agreement.
Meanwhile, a main constitutional drafting committee meeting discussing a legal system to being incorporated in a new constitution was inconclusive Wednesday.
Leaders of smaller parties accused the Big Three for not being present at meetings and prioritizing only government formation.
The constitution has to be promulgated by the second deadline of 28 May.
Many fear the second deadline also won’t be met.
Nepal is without a government for one week now following differences between Maoists and UML on sharing ministerial portfolios.
The two parties have allocated seven ministries to other parties in the nxt government.
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