SENIOR GOVT. SECRETARIES THREATEN RESIGNATION AFTER APPOINTMENT OF LILAMANI PAUDEL AS ACTING CHIEF SECRETARY Kathmandu, 30 July: Promotion Sunday of Lilamani Paudel as Acting Chief Secretary by the cabinet under intense pressure from Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Madeshbadi parties in the government has raised a hornet’s nest with threats of Paudel’s juniors to resign en masse. Madeshbadiparties agreed to Paudel’s appointment as Acting Chief Secretary and will be confirmed chiefsecretary6 August. Paudel superseded eight secretaries, including Home Secretary Sushil Jung Bahadur, to grab the top civil servant job. Bhattarai lobbied for Paudel’s appointment arguing a loyalist of the government should be appointed to run government smoothly. Secretaries who have been superseded have threatened resignations. nnnn