5 GOVT. TRADE UNIONS SUGGEST BUDGET THROUHORDNANCE Kathmandu, 17 June: All the five civil service trade unions here have suggested to the government to bring the new budget in time even through ordinance if necessary, RSS reports from Biratnagar.. Nepal Civil Servants Organization Morang; Nepal Civil Servants Union, Morang; Nepal Madhesi Civil Servants Forum, Morang and National Independent Employees Union, Morang have urged the government not to deprive the people of the State facilities and halt the development projects with any delay in the announcement of budget. Speaking at a joint discussion programme, representatives of these trade unions stressed the need of making timely adjustment in the salary and facilities of the government employees and arranging skill-enhancement training for them. They have proposed the government for fixing Rs. 19,500 as the minimum salary scale of employees. On the occasion, Chief District Officer Taranath Gautam said that timely adjustment in employee’s salary and facilities was necessary, considering an increasing inflation rate in the country. Nnnn DHONI SUGGESTS IMPROVEMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT Kathmandu, 17 June: India’s World Cup winning skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni suggested Nepal to improve the infrastructure as he arrived here for a one a one-day visit today [Saturday], The Himalayan Times reports. With his arrival following an invitation from the Embassy of India, Dhoni has become the first ever high profile visit to Nepal from a current captain of the ICC full-member nations. He is also the third Indian skipper to visit Nepal after the 1983 World Cup winning skipper Kapil Dev (1999) and Sunil Gavaskar (2004) visited Nepal. Speaking to media promptly after landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Dhoni said: “Nepal will have to slowly improve the infrastructure and become better as a team. Nepal should also come ahead in cricket as it will be very good to have one more team from the sub continent.” The skipper of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings, however, is little aware of Nepali cricket. “I’ve heard about Nepali cricket but Indian cricketing calendar is too busy to really follow other nations playing cricket,” he said. Dhoni said his main-purpose of the visit was to promote cricket. “Being a cricketer, if I can promote cricket, that will be very great. In the sub continent cricket is very popular and that is the reason why I am here,” he added. Dhoni also suggested Nepali youth to involve in sports. “Being a sports person, not only as a cricketer, I would like the youth of Nepal to get into some form of sports along with studies. Because these are the two dimensions that are important in life,” said the 2007 World Twenty20 winning captain. “Sports is something that earns a lot of good will for the country. I encourage the youth to come forward,” Dhoni added. After his arrival at 9:15, Dhoni visited the Tribhuvan University Stadium in Kirtipur where he spent two hours. In Kirtipur, he interacted with the senior and U-19 national cricketers and signed autographs for fans. He later joined an interaction programme with officials from the Cricket Association of Nepal, fans and cricketers at the Hotel Yak & Yeti. nnnn BAIDHYA URGES UNITY BETWEEN REVOLUTIONARY FORCES Kathmandu, 17 June: The national gathering of the dissenting faction of the UCPN-Maoist kicked off Saturday in the capital.Senior vice-chairman of the party Mohan Baidhya inaugurated the gathering in Bauddha, Upesh Maharjan writes in The Kathmandu Post.. Addressing the gathering participated in by hundreds of cadres, leader Baidhya said that he was not going to split the Maoist party but to modify it into a revolutionary one. He informed that the ideological group led by him was all set to move forward forming a new party dissociating it with chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai as they betrayed the people even though they were holding the posts of the party chairman and the prime minister. He said that the party unity was possible only with the honest Marxists and added that the new party would be formed in accordance with the unity. Mentioning that party chairman Prachanda had agreed on 11 federal units without having their names and demarcation earlier, Baidhya said that he was shocked to see Prachanda claiming himself now as the staunch proponent of federalism. "Opportunist forces are being seen in the Maoist party, we must combat them firmly," he said and added that the Maoist party had no alternative to unity, struggle and transformation. He made it clear that his ideological faction was ready to dissociate from the party establishment faction if needed to adopt transformation. Saying that his faction was on the side of party unity but the party chairman missed the party line, Baidhya asked, "Who has let them bypass the party’s authentic political line, tactical line and make agreements going against ideology? They are the real party separatists. We are now planning to form a new revolutionary party of proletariats." Claiming that it was better to introduce the new party with identity instead to stay in Maoist party without any identity, Baidhya said that time had come to reunite revolutionary people when the top leaders of the parties were misusing their parties against the national interests and the people. He stressed on a multi-party round table to form interim government as the CA could not promulgate the new constitution. Maoist leadership had surrendered handing over all party’s army and weapons, he said. "Leaders who were termed as top could not solve the problems of the nation." Standing committee member Netra Bikram Chand termed the leaders’ regrets over the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly as a drama citing that they themselves dissolved it. "Leaders who always wanted to stick in power suspended the CA and became ridiculous in front of others," leader Chand said. Party secretary CP Gajurel said that Prachanda pushed the nation into further crisis because of his ambition to become a statesman and the president. Other party advisory members also addressed the function. Chairman of Indigenous Joint Struggle Committee Suresh Ale Magar, Madhesi Mukti Morcha chairman Krishna Dev Singh Danuwar, All Nepal Women Associating president Jayapuri Ghartimagar said that they had no alternatives to forming a new revolutionary party as the party entangled in parliamentary affairs forgetting the sentiments of People’s War. In the closing session that is scheduled for Sunday morning, vice-chairman and chief of dissenting faction Baidhya would present his political proposal and general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa organizational proposal. The same session would finalize the call for the general convention or national conference. If the faction chooses to call national conference it will have to shape National Conference Organising Committee or if it opts for general convention, it will have the National General Convention Organising Committee. In the gathering that was underway at Sherpa Centre in Baudhha, around 2,500 state committee representatives from across the nation were present. nnnn BAIDYA OR THAPA LIKELY CHIEF OF NEW MAOIST PARTY Kathmandu, 17June: As the national gathering of the UCPN (Maoist) dissident faction kick-started at Baudha, Kathmandu on Saturday, top leaders from the faction were already starting discussions for electing the chief of the new party that may emerge from the gathering, Kiran Pun writes in Republica. . Those privy to the development said the leaders are mulling two options for electing a new leadership. "If we adopt the policy that "the person that guides the party according to his/her ideology deserves the leadership as well", we will most likely elect Mohan Baidya as party chairman. Or we may elect Ram Bahadur Thapa as party chief if leaders go for power sharing in the top position," said the leader, preferring anonymity. Either way, it will be a collective leadership. At present, Baidya is senior vice-chairman of the UCPN (Maoist) and Thapa is general secretary. The leaders are mulling over electing Thapa as party chairman only if Baidya prefers to be the new party´s patron. But they are not clear about the authority and jurisdiction of the patron because Baidya still actively leads the dissident faction. According to sources, there is a possibility of electing CP Gajurel or Netra Bikram Chand as general secretary. Gurung is a likely candidate for vice-chairman. Phampha Bhusal, Hari Bhakta Kandel and Khadga Bahadur Biswakarma are likely names for secretary. But nominations for general secretary, vice-chairperson and secretary will be co-related with the election of the party chairman. If Baidya is elected party patron, the other leaders´ position will be elevated. According to leaders involved in discussions, they will go for one-man leadership and centralize powers in the party chairman, if the party cadres demand a purge in party organization. If they go for that option, they will elect Baidya and Thapa as coordinator and co-coordinator respectively. "The issue of leadership elections will be floated at the CC meeting. The national gathering and CC meeting will go simultaneously," said a CC member. Addressing the inauguration of the national gathering, Baidya indicated that they are going to form a new party because no alternative was left as "party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai deviated from the party´s revolutionary policy and worked against the country and people." "The party shouldn´t be only for the sake of party. It should be for the country and people. But our party leaders failed to work for people and country. There is no point staying on with them in the name of party unity," Baidya announced at the function attended by thousands of party representatives from across the country. As Baidya fiercely criticized Dahal and Bhattarai and announced the formation of a new revolutionary party, the ideologically-charged cadres shouted and clapped. Secretary CP Gajurel said there was no point keeping party unity intact under Dahal, "under whose leadership both the People´s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Constituent Assembly were dissolved". Similarly, standing committee member Netra Bikram Chand accused Dahal of enjoying a lavish lifestyle and misusing money earned through the party cadres´ sweat and blood. "We will face risks to save the party from compradors," he said, indicating Dahal and Bhattarai as compradors. Addressing the program, Jaypuri Gharti Magar, Krishna Dev Singh Danuwar, Eka Raj Bhandari and Suresh Ale Magar also accused Dahal of betraying the dream of the martyrs, the disappeared, the injured and cadres. Sonam Sathi´s group joins faction Politburo member Sonam Sathi aka Shashi Sherchan and his team also participated in the gathering. Earlier, his group was not close to the Baidya faction. Leaders said half a dozen party CC members including Ishwari Bhattarai, Kishan Sharma and Ghana Shyam Sharma Paudyal have joined the Baidya faction. Nnnn UML FINALIZES POLITICAL REPORT FOR ADOPTION BY NATIONAL CONFERENCE Kathmandu, 17 June: The CPN-UML leaders have finalized the political report on current political crisis to be presented at the party´s national conclave scheduled to start from Monday in Kathmandu, Thira L. Bhusal writes in Republica.. The leaders said the report dwells on the issues of state restructuring, dissolution of Constituent Assembly (CA), political crisis following the CA´s demise and also offers solution and suggestions on the party´s immediate and future course of action. Party Secretary Yubaraj Gyawali said the standing committee meeting on Saturday finalized the political report. Around 500 party representatives from across the country will attend the two-day conclave. "On state restructuring, the standing committee has decided not to agree on delineation of single ethnic identity-based provinces. We are open to discussing delineation of provinces," Gyawali told Republica. "Besides that, we will also seek suggestions from the party representatives on federal model during the conclave." While the party leadership is all set to convene the national gathering in the capital, a section of the party rank and file representing Madhesi, ethnic and indigenous communities is likely to boycott the event. The party´s Vice-chairman Ashok Rai, who leads the dissident leaders, said the dissident leaders will participate in the conclave only if they are allowed to present their views. "Otherwise, I don´t think our friends will attend the function merely as mute spectators," he said. Rai, who has not been attending the party meetings lately, is less optimistic about the party allowing the dissident group to present their views in the gathering. While a group of influential UML leaders from Madhesi, ethnic and indigenous communities, including Rai, politburo members Prithivi Subba Gurung, Bijay Subba and Ram Chandra Jha, have been pressing the party to adopt ethnic-based federalism, top party leaders seem reluctant to buy their idea. A leader, who was present at the party´s standing committee meeting, said the chances of the party allowing dissident leaders to present their views in the gathering are very slim. Meantime, 24 UML district chiefs, who have gathered in the capital to press both the dissident faction and the party leadership to seek an amicable solution, have been pressing the dissident leaders to participate in the gathering. UML´s Bhojpur district chief Sherdhan Rai, who is coordinating the campaign, said they are pressing the disgruntled group to participate in the gathering. The leaders have already assured them that the party will not take any action against the dissident group and address their concerns. Another district chief, however, found Ashok Rai´s condition for participation in the gathering illogical. "Who can stop him from presenting his views in the gathering? He is one of the three vice chairmen of the party. This shows he does not intend to seek solution from within the party," said the leader. Meanwhile, the party´s standing committee expelled General Secretary of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Ang Kaji Sherpa, who is also the assistant secretary of the party´s Solukhumbu district chapter, as party member. The party took the decision as Sherpa, while addressing the mass gathering of UCPN (Maoist) on Friday, had fiercely criticized UML leaders. Nnnn ________________________________________ LPG CARD DISTRIBUTION IN LIMBO Kathmandu, 17 June: The consumer card distribution that was started with an aim to provide Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) at a subsidised rate to consumers has been halted, The Himalayan Times reports. The entire process of consumer card distribution was halted after Gas Dealers’ Union filed a case against the Gas Dealers’ Association of Nepal (GDAN) –– the body which was facilitating the distribution process from the very beginning –– at the Supreme Court, said vice president of GDAN Maheshwar Kumar Shrestha. Gas Dealers’ Union has challenged the legal status of the association in the court, said Shrestha, adding that the association cannot resume the card distribution task until the court delivers a final verdict. He accepted that GDAN was in the process of acquiring a legal status from the concerned government agency. The association had started the card distribution from the beginning of April by issuing a card to prime minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai in the presence of the then minister for commerce and supplies Lekh Raj Bhatta. It had completed the distribution of 100,000 cards in two months, said Shrestha. The ministry had planned to distribute four million consumer cards in 15 days but the association had failed to meet the deadline, an official at the ministry said. The plan to adjust the price of cooking gas after the completion of the distribution of the cards has faced serious problems after the process was halted, the source said. “It is shameful that Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) did not even try to verify the legal status of the facilitating party before deploying it for the card distribution task.” NOC had said that it would differentiate domestic use and industrial use of LPG after the introduction of consumer cards. It had also claimed that the actual database of consumers would be collected once the card distribution process was completed. “But all the promises are futile for the time being,” an official at the corporation said, adding that Nepal Oil Corporation often receives criticism from different quarters of the society due its negligence on serious issues like card distribution. nnnn