AMID DIFFERENCES MAOIST STANDING COMMITTEE MEETS

MAOIST STANDING COMMITTEE TO MEET

Kathmandu, 29 March: Amid widespread rumours of an imminent split, Maoist standing committee meets later Tuesday to iron out differences in the UCPN (Maoist)—the country’s biggest party and mainstream communist force.
The party is split between factions led by Chairman Prachanda and Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidya and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai.
A trade union group loyal to Badiya together with a union affiliated with terai parties has come out publicly closing down hundreds of industries in the Birgunj/Pathalaiya and Moran/Sunsari corridors 4th consecutive day Tuesday charging unions of Maoists loyal to Prachanda, NC and UML of a ‘sellout’ while calling off a strike and agreeing to a freeze on strikes for four years for increased Rs,1,500 per month salary hike.
Rival Maoist trade unions clash every day on the streets.
Before Tuesday’s standing committee, Maoist chief held a luncheon meeting with Baidya Monday to settle differences; Bhattarai wasn’t present.
Bhattarai has been hounded by establishment supporters to silence him during his tour of districts to maintain public contacts charging of attempts to murder him.
Bhattarai, the third ranking Maoist leader after Prachanda and Baidya, has attempted to give an ideological ‘liberal’ tinge to his differences with chief of the main opposition party.
The party standing committee as it still has to select a remaining members of the team in government led by Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara; only four of 11 team members have been nominated.
Maoists have joined the government of Prime Minister Jhalanatha Khanal who the party helped elect through a secret 7-point agreement 3 February; the cabinet hasn’t been expanded in nearly seven weeks.
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MJFN MEET TO SELECT GOVT. TEAM

Kathmandu, 29 March: MJFN central committee is meeting later Tuesday to select its team in government after a four-point deal with Maoists and UML to join government.
The party has been allotted three ministries in the government of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal.
The entry into government of the party led by Upendra Yadav has been delayed over differences on allotments of ministries perceived as being ‘powerful and important ‘.
MJFN has opted to join government even as three other terai parties have decided to stay in the opposition with NC.
Three parties claim MJFN doesn’t represent Madesh parties,
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CAPITAL RECORDS 7MM RAINFALL

Kathmandu, 29 March: After overcast conditions over the capital the while day Sunday, the sun broke though the cloud cover late Monday morning.
Altogether 7mm rain was recorded Monday morning, meteorologists reported.
Mercury fell Sunday with the overcast sky.
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