PM CONVENES MEETING OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE

PM CONVENES MEETING OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: A meeting of the special committee for integration, supervisions and resettlement charged ex-officio by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai is being
held Friday.
The premier has convened a meeting of the committee amid charges by the opposition aoiss leading the government are dillydallying in implementing the integration and retireeeeeeement of former Maoist fighters even after their preferences were recoded by the secretariat of the special committee.
China offered Nepal $20 million to complete the processes during the
four-hour visit Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.
Nnnn

STUDENTS CONTINUING
PROTESTS AGAINST FUEL HIKE

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: Students affiliated with ruling and opposition parties are continuing
their protests Friday against a government decision to hike fuel prices even after
reducing prices of POL products Thursday succumbing to pressures.
Student rejected the decision to reduce massive hikes
and demanded restoration of original prices.
Movement of vehicles is being obstructed in front of campuses nation-wide and
students meet to discuss the second phase of their
protests after another round of talks with government.
Nnnn

OPPOSITION TO OBSTRUCT PARRLIAMENT SESSION

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: Opposition said they will obstruct the scheduled session f parliament for the fifth successive time Friday.
There’s a standoff between government and opposition after a cabinet and Maoist decision
to legalize assets seized by then insurgents during a 10-year rebellion
Maoists Thursday rejected an opposition to correct the decision.
The move has worsened ties between ruling and opposition parties and obstructed the peae and constitution writing processes.
Nnnn

5 NDA MEMBERS ARRESTED

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: Five members of the Nepal Defense
Army (NDA) were presented before the media
Thursday after their arrest.
They were involved in bombings and extortions in and around the capital, according
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Police Biswas, Pramod Kumar Mahato, Nirmal Lama, Jagat
Bahadur Thapa and Cham Bahadur
Thapa were nabbed.
They were directed by chief of NDA
Ram Prasad Mainali, according to police.
The group set off explosions at Thapathalii, New Road and exported money.
nnnn

ACTRESS SUSHILA RAYAMAJHI DEAD

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: Actress Sushila Rayamajhi died
Thursday of cancer.
She was 55.
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PRESIDENT IN BARDIYA NATIONAL PARK

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: President Dr. Ram Narayan Yadav toured the Bardiya National Park Thursday after arriving in the afternoon.
He went on a hour-long jungle drive.
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MAOIST CHIEF ATTEMPING TO TOPPLE BHATTARAI WITH NC,UML SUPPORT
Kathmandu, 27 Jan : Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is seeking support of the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML to force Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai into resigning to pave the way for forming a national consensus government under his own leadership, Post B. Basnet writes in Republica..

Sources close to Bhattarai say Dahal at a recent meeting had asked NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel and UML leaders Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal to create an environment for forming a national consensus government.

"I cannot directly demand his resignation. So you must create an environment to force him to step down," sources at Baluwatar quoted Dahal as telling UML leaders in a recent meeting.

On Monday, at a three-party meeting at Paudel´s residence at Boharatar, Dahal had proposed that a national consensus government should be formed and peace process should be concluded in a package.

"We are open to the idea of forming a national consensus government. All the issues should be settled in a package," a participant of the meeting quoted Dahal. Bhattarai was also present at the meeting.

Bhattarai faction says Dahal´s "duplicity" regarding the cabinet decision to legalize the conflict-era land transactions and the recent fuel price hike shows that he is seriously working to isolate Bhattarai inside and outside the party and topple the government.

"It was the chairman who forced the prime minister to legalize the war-time land transactions. Now he is not backing the government, and has put the blame on the prime minister, in an apparent bid to put the government in difficulty," said a leader close to Bhattarai.

The Bhattarai faction has also blamed Dahal for fomenting street protests against the government´s fuel price hike decision. The Maoist party´s own student wing is on the streets against the decision. "The prime minister had consulted the chairman before increasing fuel prices. And after the prices were hiked, Dahal backed the student wing that launched street protest. How can a party´s student union take to the streets without parent party´s nod?" said a leader from the Bhattarai faction.

The faction has also accused Dahal of holding several rounds of meeting with UML leaders including Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, KP Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal. Sources say Dahal had asked the UML leaders to play roles to topple the government. Few days back, Dahal, accompanied by Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, had held talks with Khanal at the latter´s residence at Dallu.

It may be recalled that Dahal had promised to Baiyda to recall Bhattarai from the government, though Dahal latter denied having made any such promise.

The Bhattarai faction has also accused Dahal of taking tough stance on the integration process. "He has taken the stance that the voluntary retirement and integration process should go alongside. His strategy is to put the government in crisis," said the leader.

Bhattarai himself had told party cadres on Tuesday in Palpa that he is no longer getting support from the party leadership to run the government.
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NC DISPUTE WORSENING

Kathmandu, 27Jan.: Ongoing ´quiet´ efforts within the Nepali Congress (NC) to settle a bitter row, which surfaced between the establishment faction and a rival faction-led by Sher Bahadur Deuba following the dissolution of various sister organizations, has failed to yield
any positive results so far, Kosh RajKoirala reports I Republica.

Indications are the dispute persisting between the two factions is likely to get worse as a proposal developed by various senior leaders including Ram Chandra Paudel, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Arjun Narsingh KC on behalf of the party´s president, Sushil Koirala, for a bringing about a ´quiet settlement´ has failed to impress the rival faction.

The Deuba faction, after the proposal from the establishment faction reached them on Tuesday, called a joint meeting of the party´s CWC members and parliamentary party members for January 31 and a meeting of district committee presidents aligned to the Deuba faction for February 15, to exert pressure on the party establishment to accept a ´package agreement´ on all appointments.

The establishment faction had proposed to the Deuba faction to name the chiefs of Nepal Tarun Dal and Nepal Women´s Association, along with proportionate representation from the Deuba faction in all appointments to the party´s 32 various departments and its work performance committee.

However, the proposal worked out by senior leaders close to Koirala had suggested putting on hold the formation of the party´s parliamentary board and the pending nomination of five members to the party´s CWC.

The proposal hardly impressed the Deuba faction, which has remained seriously dissatisfied with the establishment faction for a long time.

"Since the establishment faction has not lived up to promises made in the past, we have sought a package deal on all appointments to be made in the party´s organization," said a senior leader close to the Deuba faction."We won´t compromise unless there is a ´package deal´ on all these appointments," the senior leader said.

The Deuba faction has demanded at least four of the five remaining CWC memberships including one joint general secretary and the immediate formation of the party´s parliamentary board, which is responsible for picking party candidates for national general elections and appointing the party´s zonal chiefs.

Koirala has picked only two from the rival faction-- Deuba and Bimalendra Nidhi--for nominated CWC members.

All CWC members close to Deuba have been snubbing the CWC meeting ever since Deuba resigned as a CWC member, citing strong dissatisfaction over Koirala´s move to dissolve various sister organizations of the party in September, 2011. Party President Koirala and Deuba have reached the point of publicly finger-pointing each other for the growing rift in the grand old party.

Party insiders say the Deuba faction´s move to snub the ´modest proposal´ from the Koirala faction and call a meeting of its own purportedly to exert pressure on Koirala for a ´package deal´ is likely to further worsen the row.

"The Deuba faction seems to have concluded that they can make the establishment faction bow further to its demands. But this move may put Koirala under pressure from his aides to take unilateral decisions about the sister organizations," said a NC leader on condition of anonymity.
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PM CONVENES MEETING OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: A meeting of the special committee for integration, supervisions and resettlement charged ex-officio by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai is being
held Friday.
The premier has convened a meeting of the committee amid charges by the opposition aoiss leading the government are dillydallying in implementing the integration and retireeeeeeement of former Maoist fighters even after their preferences were recoded by the secretariat of the special committee.
China offered Nepal $20 million to complete the processes during the
four-hour visit Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.
Nnnn

STUDENTS CONTINUING
PROTESTS AGAINST FUEL HIKE

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: Students affiliated with ruling and opposition parties are continuing
their protests Friday against a government decision to hike fuel prices even after
reducing prices of POL products Thursday succumbing to pressures.
Student rejected the decision to reduce massive hikes
and demanded restoration of original prices.
Movement of vehicles is being obstructed in front of campuses nation-wide and
students meet to discuss the second phase of their
protests after another round of talks with government.
Nnnn

OPPOSITION TO OBSTRUCT PARRLIAMENT SESSION

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: Opposition said they will obstruct the scheduled session f parliament for the fifth successive time Friday.
There’s a standoff between government and opposition after a cabinet and Maoist decision
to legalize assets seized by then insurgents during a 10-year rebellion
Maoists Thursday rejected an opposition to correct the decision.
The move has worsened ties between ruling and opposition parties and obstructed the peae and constitution writing processes.
Nnnn

5 NDA MEMBERS ARRESTED

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: Five members of the Nepal Defense
Army (NDA) were presented before the media
Thursday after their arrest.
They were involved in bombings and extortions in and around the capital, according
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Police Biswas, Pramod Kumar Mahato, Nirmal Lama, Jagat
Bahadur Thapa and Cham Bahadur
Thapa were nabbed.
They were directed by chief of NDA
Ram Prasad Mainali, according to police.
The group set off explosions at Thapathalii, New Road and exported money.
nnnn

ACTRESS SUSHILA RAYAMAJHI DEAD

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: Actress Sushila Rayamajhi died
Thursday of cancer.
She was 55.
nnnn

PRESIDENT IN BARDIYA NATIONAL PARK

Kathmandu, 27 Jan.: President Dr. Ram Narayan Yadav toured the Bardiya National Park Thursday after arriving in the afternoon.
He went on a hour-long jungle drive.
nnnn

MAOIST CHIEF ATTEMPING TO TOPPLE BHATTARAI WITH NC,UML SUPPORT
Kathmandu, 27 Jan : Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is seeking support of the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML to force Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai into resigning to pave the way for forming a national consensus government under his own leadership, Post B. Basnet writes in Republica..

Sources close to Bhattarai say Dahal at a recent meeting had asked NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel and UML leaders Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal to create an environment for forming a national consensus government.

"I cannot directly demand his resignation. So you must create an environment to force him to step down," sources at Baluwatar quoted Dahal as telling UML leaders in a recent meeting.

On Monday, at a three-party meeting at Paudel´s residence at Boharatar, Dahal had proposed that a national consensus government should be formed and peace process should be concluded in a package.

"We are open to the idea of forming a national consensus government. All the issues should be settled in a package," a participant of the meeting quoted Dahal. Bhattarai was also present at the meeting.

Bhattarai faction says Dahal´s "duplicity" regarding the cabinet decision to legalize the conflict-era land transactions and the recent fuel price hike shows that he is seriously working to isolate Bhattarai inside and outside the party and topple the government.

"It was the chairman who forced the prime minister to legalize the war-time land transactions. Now he is not backing the government, and has put the blame on the prime minister, in an apparent bid to put the government in difficulty," said a leader close to Bhattarai.

The Bhattarai faction has also blamed Dahal for fomenting street protests against the government´s fuel price hike decision. The Maoist party´s own student wing is on the streets against the decision. "The prime minister had consulted the chairman before increasing fuel prices. And after the prices were hiked, Dahal backed the student wing that launched street protest. How can a party´s student union take to the streets without parent party´s nod?" said a leader from the Bhattarai faction.

The faction has also accused Dahal of holding several rounds of meeting with UML leaders including Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, KP Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal. Sources say Dahal had asked the UML leaders to play roles to topple the government. Few days back, Dahal, accompanied by Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, had held talks with Khanal at the latter´s residence at Dallu.

It may be recalled that Dahal had promised to Baiyda to recall Bhattarai from the government, though Dahal latter denied having made any such promise.

The Bhattarai faction has also accused Dahal of taking tough stance on the integration process. "He has taken the stance that the voluntary retirement and integration process should go alongside. His strategy is to put the government in crisis," said the leader.

Bhattarai himself had told party cadres on Tuesday in Palpa that he is no longer getting support from the party leadership to run the government.
nnnn



________________________________________




NC DISPUTE WORSENING

Kathmandu, 27Jan.: Ongoing ´quiet´ efforts within the Nepali Congress (NC) to settle a bitter row, which surfaced between the establishment faction and a rival faction-led by Sher Bahadur Deuba following the dissolution of various sister organizations, has failed to yield
any positive results so far, Kosh RajKoirala reports I Republica.

Indications are the dispute persisting between the two factions is likely to get worse as a proposal developed by various senior leaders including Ram Chandra Paudel, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Arjun Narsingh KC on behalf of the party´s president, Sushil Koirala, for a bringing about a ´quiet settlement´ has failed to impress the rival faction.

The Deuba faction, after the proposal from the establishment faction reached them on Tuesday, called a joint meeting of the party´s CWC members and parliamentary party members for January 31 and a meeting of district committee presidents aligned to the Deuba faction for February 15, to exert pressure on the party establishment to accept a ´package agreement´ on all appointments.

The establishment faction had proposed to the Deuba faction to name the chiefs of Nepal Tarun Dal and Nepal Women´s Association, along with proportionate representation from the Deuba faction in all appointments to the party´s 32 various departments and its work performance committee.

However, the proposal worked out by senior leaders close to Koirala had suggested putting on hold the formation of the party´s parliamentary board and the pending nomination of five members to the party´s CWC.

The proposal hardly impressed the Deuba faction, which has remained seriously dissatisfied with the establishment faction for a long time.

"Since the establishment faction has not lived up to promises made in the past, we have sought a package deal on all appointments to be made in the party´s organization," said a senior leader close to the Deuba faction."We won´t compromise unless there is a ´package deal´ on all these appointments," the senior leader said.

The Deuba faction has demanded at least four of the five remaining CWC memberships including one joint general secretary and the immediate formation of the party´s parliamentary board, which is responsible for picking party candidates for national general elections and appointing the party´s zonal chiefs.

Koirala has picked only two from the rival faction-- Deuba and Bimalendra Nidhi--for nominated CWC members.

All CWC members close to Deuba have been snubbing the CWC meeting ever since Deuba resigned as a CWC member, citing strong dissatisfaction over Koirala´s move to dissolve various sister organizations of the party in September, 2011. Party President Koirala and Deuba have reached the point of publicly finger-pointing each other for the growing rift in the grand old party.

Party insiders say the Deuba faction´s move to snub the ´modest proposal´ from the Koirala faction and call a meeting of its own purportedly to exert pressure on Koirala for a ´package deal´ is likely to further worsen the row.

"The Deuba faction seems to have concluded that they can make the establishment faction bow further to its demands. But this move may put Koirala under pressure from his aides to take unilateral decisions about the sister organizations," said a NC leader on condition of anonymity.
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