UML POLITBURO MEETS

Kathmandu, 20 Feb.: Politburo of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal meets Sunday to discuss Maoist demand for its demand for the home ministry portfolio and strict implementation of a controversial 7-point agreement between the premier and Maoist Chairman Jhalanath Khanal.
Khanal’s election as government chief was secured more than two weeks ago with Maoist support seven months after the country was run by a caretaker government of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal whose successor wasn’t elected even after 16 rounds of extended vote in the legislature.
Khanal, in an address to the nation Friday, defended his agreement for what he called ‘revolutionary change’ even as his party standing committee rejected the agreement pushing the premier to amend it and not to award the home portfolio to Maoists.
The politburo is meeting Sunday after Khanal was voted down iin the 10-member standing committee to continue discussions in the party on differences in the agreement and bringing in Maoists to government,
The party central committee meets Tuesday to continue discussions.
in the controversy.
Maoists are awaiting the decision of the politburo and the central to decide its next move even as the country’s dominant communist party
was assured by Khanal he’ll security his party’s support for the government.
The premier hasn’t been able to expand his four-member cabinet following the internal party dispute.
Maoists decided to join the government but in lfli-flip decisions decided to stay out of government and lend the government outside support to save the shaky government.
Khanal has been accused by the party and 14 other parties, including
the NC for assembling a communist government that has polarized national politics.
The polarization has jeopardized changes of completing a delayed peace process and promulgating a constitution to institutionalize a delayed republic by the 28 May deadline.
Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said the agreement will push Nepal towards an accident.
NC President Sushil Koirala said Saturday the controversial agreement should be amended and his party will stay in the opposition.
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BRYAN ADAMS PERFORMS BEFORE A 15,000 CROWD

Kathmandu, 20 Feb. Canadian rock star Bryan Adams performed
before a cheering 15,000 audience at the Dashrath Rangashala Saturday night in the first such concert in Nepal.
Adams performed for one hour and the concert went off without incident amid fears of stampede.
Security was tight with more than 1,000 police deployed.
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THREE CATERNG STAFF FOUND DEAD

Kathmandu, 20 Feb.: Three catering staff sharing a single room in the capital were found dead Saturday.
They were pronounced dead as they were rushed to hospital.
The room they shared had a foul gas stench.
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FORMER KING REMEMBERS HIS GRANDFATER

Kathmandu, 20 Feb.: Former King Gyanendra Saturday remembered his grandfather King Tribhuvan and martyrs in the 61st national democracy day Sunday.
Tribhuvan’s contribution to topple 104-year Rana rule has been
ignored the republican government after monarchy was toppled three years ago.
The Himalayan Times adds: Former King Gyanendra Shah has said that democracy should be people-centric.
Paying tribute to martyrs who died for the sake of democracy, the former monarch said in a statement issued on the eve of Democracy Day today [Saturday].
“Our democratic exercise must ensure upholding our national dignity, independence and peace, keeping in mind the universal tenet that
politics and governance must always focus on people’s welfare.”
The fruits of democracy are best enjoyed when they are based on popular will, there is harmony among patriotic and democratic forces and the
country’s geopolitics environment is taken into account, the former monarch said in the statement.
‘The broad-based accord should reflect out national ethos, which
prescribes inclusiveness rather than a political culture on
exclusion,” he said.
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