DEFECTION FROM RPP TO MJFD Kathmandu, 6 June:: Co-chairperson of Rastriya Janamukti Party Shanker Lal Chaudhary and former lawmaker and central member of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Narendra Kumar Chaudhary on Wednesday quitted their respective parties and joined Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (Democratic), RSS reports. Deputy Prime Minister and Chairperson of MJF-D, Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar granted party membership to Chaudhary duo amid a programme organised at the party office. On the occasion, Gachchhadar claimed that he would make the MJF-D a large party of the country by including the people belonging to Terai, mountain and hilly regions. Informing that party central member Sharat Singh Bhandari was expelled at the recommendation of the party Disciplinary Committee for working against the party interest, he made it clear that other central members Birendra Yadav and Shatrughan Bilas Chaudhary were also terminated from the party for their involvement in other parties. nnnn PM READY TO QUIT ONLY WITH ASSURED ALTERNATIVE Kathmandu. 6 June: UCPN (Maoist) politburo member and chief advisor to the Prime Minister, Devendra Poudel has said that the Prime Minister would resign from the post if the major political parties came with an alternative to his leadership for the formation of a national consensus government, RSS reports. Taking part in an interaction programme on 'Present Political Situation and New Development' here today, leader Poudel claimed that the government had to announce fresh elections to the Constituent Assembly ( CA) on May 27 as the parties gave priority to the issue of government change rather than consensus on the contentious issues of constitution-drafting. The announcement for new CA elections was in line with the verdict of the Supreme Court after the parties failed to reach to a consensus on the disputed issues, he added. However, the government would not alone hold the CA elections without the consent from the major political parties, he said, stressing that there was no alternative for parties to moving ahead on the basis of consensus. Also speaking at the programme, CPN (UML) district president Leela Giri said that the nation was plunged into crisis following the dissolution of the CA. He underscored the need of unity among all the parties to take the nation on right track.The programme was presided over by Chairman of Butwal-based Sainamaina Daily, Bhakti Pandey. RSS nnnn SUSHIL KOIRALA CALLS ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT UNCONSTITUTIONAL Kathmandu, 6 June: President of the Nepali Congress, Sushil Koirala, has said the unconstitutional announcement of elections to the constituent assembly was the UCPN-Maoist's tactic to capture state authority, RSS reports. At a discussion with the former CA members of the party at party headquarters on Wednesday, President Koirala said it was unconstitutional to fix the date of another CA election by the Prime Minister despite the efforts going on for constitution. About the demand some former CA members made for the reinstatement of the CA, President Koirala suggested them to focus on the protest programme being held against the ruling coalition. He urged all to make success the mass protest gathering to be held on June 8 against the government decision. Following the discussion, former CA member Kamala Pant said they drew the President's attention about reinstating the CA and discussion on this would be continued later. It is said the party decided to mobilize all sister organizations of the party to make the protest gathering successful. Nnnn SURBA BAHADUE THAPA CALLS FOR CONSTITION PREPARED BY COMMISSION Kathamandu, 6 June: Chairman of the Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) Surya Bahadur Thapa has said that the opinion that a constitution should be drafted by a commission and should be approved by the people is a mature idea, RSS reports. At a press meeting organized at his own residence at Maligaun in the capital today, Thapa said, this, however, should be decided through political consensus by political organs of the state. He accused the UCPN-Maoist of declaring election to confuse the people and added that if election was held for another 601 it will not be sustained by the country's economy. The Maoist step has added bitterness and lack of confidence among parties, said Thapa. He said the president should not take any step like the former king against the constitution, adding that there was no alternative to political consensus. The people are confused and the country ahs peace of like in the funeral. Nnnn MOMENTUM GAINS TO SAVE NEPALI ON DEATH ROW IN GULF Kathmandu, 6 June:: The Nepal World Cooperation Association, an organization of non-resident Nepalis, has internationally launched a campaign to save one Amar Bahadur Bam of Dhari VDC-5 in Darchula district who is presently in the jail based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with death sentence, RSS reports. The Dubai Court in 2003 had slapped death penalty on Bam including three other Indian nationals convicting them of murdering businessman Sharad Shetty of the Indian origin. Bam had reached Dubai in connection with employment. According to Rajendra Prasad Devkota of the Association, various posters and pictures related to Bam have been distributed to different countries and various human rights organizations have been appealed to help save Bam. The family of Bam was provided Rs. 50,000 by the Association recently. The Association claims that Bam had no hand in the killing of Shetty. The victims' family recently called on the President and the Prime Minister and requested for help to save their kin. nnnn