UML NOMINATES TWO MINISTERS

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: Bharat Mohan Adhikari and Bishnu Paudel have been nominated in the UML government team Sunday morning by the party standing committee.
Adhikari is a former finance minister.
Bishnu Paudel is party secretary.
Adhikari could take charge of the finance minister from Surendra Pandey also of the UML.
nnnn


UML, MAOISTS ASSEMBLING SMALL GOVT.

By Bhola B. Rana

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: President Dr Raman Baran Yadav is scheduled to swear-in Jhalanath Khanal as prime minister following his election by parliament Thursday in first round vote with Maoist support.
A task force of UML, the party Khanal heads, and Maoists continue to meet Sunday morning to assemble a small cabinet which is also scheduled to be sworn-in Sunday afternoon.
Khanal takes over from Madhav Kumar Nepal who resigned 30 June 2010 but continued as caretaker after failure to elect a successor in protracted 16 round elections.
UML continues to lead the government even though the in-coming government is a communist alliance which will be dominated by Maoists as the largest party in parliament.
Nepal led a broad democratic/left coalition of 22 parties.
According to a seven-point agreement between UML and Maoists, the two parties will lead the government of rotational basis; the tenure of Khanal hasn’t been fixed.
Maoist standing committee meet will appoint the party team in government Sunday.
Khanal Saturday said as far as possible elected lawmakers from his
party will join the government.
“We faced a lot of criticism for sending defeated candidates [in April 2008 constituent assembly (CA) elections to government. We’ll form a government with elected persons with some exceptions for
difficulties,” Khanal said.
The UML chairman said he’ll form the government in phases.
Outgoing Prime Minister Nepal lost from two constituencies. He resigned as chairman of the main constitution drafting committee was nominated to parliament after a UML candidate withdrew in his favour.
Ministers of home, finance and defence were defeated UML
candidates.
“If chairmen Prachanda and Jhalanath Khanal can’t lay a foundation for the peace process and constitution drafting in 15 days, an alterative for the government will be sought from the 16th day,” Co-chairman of MJFN
Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta said.
NC central committee is meeting at two in the afternoon to discuss party strategy Sunday after the collapse of a 22-party democratic alliance and the mergence of a communist alliance between Maoists and UML that has surfaced with the election of UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal as prime minister.
President Sushil Koirala has already said the party will stay in the opposition and support the government on issues.
nnnn

THREE MINERS BURIED ALIVE

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: Three limestone miners were buried alive Saturday at Manapang VDC-8 in Tanahu.
One miner was pulled out alive.
nnnn


DR. KIRAN PRASAD SHRESTHA ELECTED NMA PRESIDENT

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: Dr. Kiran Prasad Shrestha of the democratic panel was declared elected Saturday president of the Nepal Medical Association (NMA) for a two-year term.
A 13-member executive committee was also elected in Friday’s election.
Nnnn


TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

EVEREST BANK LTD. RECORDS INCREASED PROFIT

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: Everest Bank Ltd. eared a Rs. 429.82 million in Q2 of the fiscal year 2010/11 ending 15 December 2010.
The joint venture with Punbaj National Bank recorded a Rs 383.72 million in the corresponding period the previous year.
Soaltee Hotel Ltd. also recorded an increased profit in Q2 of the fiscal year.
The hotel recorded a Rs 74.599 net profit compared to a rs. 63.76 million net profit in the corresponding period the previous year.
Nnnn

SPORTS

NEPAL TOPS GROUP B IN ACC U-19 CRICKET TOURNAMENT

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: Nepal Saturday topped Group B in the ACC U-19Elite Cup cricket tournament beating host Thailand by 174 runs.
Nepal won all four group matches by defeating Thailand.
Left arm spinner Rahul Viswakarma spun Nepal to victory taking eight wickets.
Thailand was bowled out for 71 runs in only 27.5 overs
chasing a target of 246 runs.
Nnnn

OUTGOING PM OPPOSES KHANAL/PRACHANDA DEAL

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: Madhav Kumar Nepal, senior UML leader and
prime minister of the caretaker government, and some party leaders have expressed serious disagreement Saturday saying party chairman and prime minister-elect Jhalanath Khanal agreed with Maaoist Chairman Prachanda to form a separate security force with combatants, Annapurna Post reports.
Nepal and several leaders held discussions at Baluwatar and concluded the party was let down through the secret agreement.
Bshnu Paudel and Pradip Geywali were among the leaders present at the meeting who said the party was kept in the dark.
The meeting concluded the agreement should be foiled.
Nnnn

EDUCATION OFFICIALS IN EAST AND CENTRAL TERAI
MOVE ONLY WITH POLICE GUARDS

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: With increased insecurity, district education officers have started have started deploying bodyguards, Gorkhapatra reports from Parsa.
After increased underground armed activities and pressures for
illegal work education officers have started to move around with bodyguards.
The local administration assigns a havaldar from Nepal Police mainly in the eastern and central terai districts.
“Without such security, I can’t even go to office,” said Parsa district education officer Kedar Tiwari.
nnnn

RACE IN UML FOR ACTING PARTY CHAIRMANSHIP

Kathmandu, 6 Feb.: With the party chairman elected prime minister, a race to bag the acting party chairmanship has begun within the ruling CPN-UML. There are two candidates in the field, outgoing Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and senior leader KP Sharma Oli, according to informed sources. It is not yet clear whether Khanal will entrust the responsibility to his bête noires at all, but new developments suggest a changing power equation in the party, Bhadra Sharma reports in The Kathmandu Post..

Changed Internal dynamics over the last two weeks have brought the two rivals closer due to the turn of events. The strained relationship between Khanal and Oli appears to be improving, which in turn is likely to affect Nepal-Oli relations.

Oli, a hardliner who opposed Khanal’s prime ministerial ambition and the idea of a ‘left alliance’ made a u-turn and proposed Khanal’s candidacy for the prime ministership last week. Insiders say Oli was forced to change stance after PM Nepal proposed arbitrarily at the Gokarna talks that UCPN (Maoist) lead the government.

On Jan. 16, Nepal proposed to the NC and UML leaders to form a consensus government under Maoist leadership. Piqued, Oli subsequently called an informal meeting at the party headquarters.

“Oli was not happy with Nepal’s proposal to hand over the government leadership to the Maoists without an official decision by the party and ruling partners,” a UML Central Committee member close to Oli said. Oli himself has been describing the latest political development as part of reconciliation efforts within the party. Nepal’s stand acted as a catalyst in forging the UML-Maoist alliance. After Nepal’s proposal, Oli himself suggested in a party CC meeting to form a government by forging alliance with the Maoists.

“For now, I support you [Khanal] but my future strategy will depend on how you act,” Oli had told Khanal after the party’s CC meeting that allowed Khanal to run for the prime ministerial election. Oli took it upon himself to propose Khanal’s candidacy. He wants to achieve two goals: Induct his men in the Cabinet and head the party, a CC member close to Oli said.

Nepal has not yet given up his ambition to head the party as acting chairman. Publicly, he has insisted that he has no interest in the job

but UML insiders believe he would take up the position if an opportunity presents itself.

Khanal has not yet hinted whether he intends to hand over the party responsibility to his deputies [Vice chairmen] or senior leaders like Oli and Nepal. But the Oli faction is preparing to demand that Khanal hand over the day-to-day responsibility of the party once the Cabinet takes full shape.

Khanal aides admit that management of intra-party dynamics and relations with the Maoists will determine the fate of the new government.
nnnn