MAHAASTHAMI BEING OBSERVED

TUESDAY IS MAHAASTHAMI

KATHMANDU, 4 Oct: Mahaasthami is being observed Tuesday on the eighth day of Dashain.
Animals and birds are being sacrificed at temples and armories.
Devotes are thronging nine Bhagawati temples since early morning for darshan
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GOVT TO PROPOSE COMPREHENSIVE PEACE PROPOSAL AFTER DASHAIN
KATHMANDU, 4 Oct.: The ruling parties--UCPN (Maoist) and five Madhes-based parties--on Monday agreed to come up with a "comprehensive proposal" on the peace process immediately after Dashain, Gani Ansari writes in Republica.

A meeting of top leaders from the UCPN (Maoist) and the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) reached an agreement to this effect during a meeting held at the prime minister´s residence in Baluwatar on Monday morning, according to JP Gupta, minister for information and communications and chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Republican), a constituent party of the UDMF.

“The comprehensive proposal will deal with all the issues of the peace process," Gupta told Republica.

This is the first time the ruling parties have held discussion on the peace process after the present coalition came to power in August.

Gupta said the government also plans to hold talks with the main opposition parties--Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML--at different levels during the Dashain holiday.

Meanwhile, both Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal assured the Madhesi parties that the intra-party rift within the UCPN (Maoist) would not affect the peace process.

“We have to take the peace process forward and there will be no obstruction from our party,” Gupta quoted the prime minister as saying during the meeting.

The meeting also reiterated the ruling parties´ commitment to implementing the four-point agreement, which is the basis of the present coalition, reached between the Maoists and the UDMF before the prime ministerial election on August 28.

“Both sides agreed that there is nothing amendable in the four-point agreement [as demanded by other parties and some Maoist leaders] and reiterated our commitment to fully implement the deal,” stated Gupta.

The meeting also discussed the ongoing protests against the agreement, which has been accused of being anti-nationalistic, and termed such protests as being well within "the opposition´s responsible role".

The two-hour meeting also evaluated the performance of the incumbent government and decided to ensure smooth delivery and monitoring of government services even during Dashain.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, who is also the chairman of MPRF-D, MPRF-R Chairman Gupta, Chairman of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Mahantha Thakur and Health Minister and Chairman of Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato attended the meeting. Minister for Irrigation and Chairman of TMDP-N Mahendra Yadav was absent at the meeting as he is out of the Valley.
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INFIGHTING FLARES IN MAOIST SPORTS WING

Kathmandu, 4 Oct.: The conflict between two factions in the ruling UCPN (Maoist) continues to hit its sports wing - Nepal Republican Sports Federation (NRSF), Republica writes.
Two days after a faction had declared to have expelled NRSF President Jayandra Bahadur Chand and announced General-secretary Rana Sangram Bista as the president, the establishment faction closed to Vice-president Mohan Baidhya declared to have sacked Bista and General-secretary Mahesh Newa in the presence of politburo member Kul Bahadur KC.
Organizing a press conference on Sunday, Chand, also the coordinator of National Gathering Organizing Committee, said that Bista and his group has been working against the motto of NRSF and declared to have expelled the duo from NRSF. "The duo is no more the member of NRSF," said Chand who also accused Bista and his group of working at the behest of some other group for financial consideration.

Chand is the brother of standing committee member Netra Bikram Chand who is close to the Baidhya faction in UCPN-Maoist.

Bista faction on Friday sacked Chand and Secretary Bimala Paudel and blamed poor health and busy scheduled of Chand coming in the way of NRSF works. Similarly, they have accused Paudel of being involved in financial irregularities during the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) held in 2010. Paudel was the manager of the women´s football team during SAG.

Speaking on the occasion, Kul Bahadur KC said the faction led by Jayandra Bahadur Chand is the only authorized sports wing of UCPN-Maoist. “NRSF will not be dissolved at the behest of any group or the party leaders.”

KC also claimed himself to be the chief of UCPN-Maoist sports wing. "I have left sports wing due to personal problems. In fact, I am still the chief of sports department. The declaration of Chand is anarchism. Top Bahadur Raymajhi can´t dissolve sports wing for his personal interest. "

KC also indirectly claimed Raymajhi of sacking Chand and Paudel. Raymajhi is the minister for local development and also the sports wing chief of UCPN-Maoist. Raymajhi is believed to be close with Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. The Bista faction had sacked Chand and Paudel in the presence of Lila Thapa, an aide of Baburam Bhattarai.

Poudel, expelled by Bista faction, challenged Bista to prove the allegations against her. “I work for an association and if I have committed any wrong the association will punish me."
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