BANDH HITS NUWAKOT Kathmandu, 15 Seot.: Normal life in Nuwakot Constituency No. 2 has been affected due to a general shutdown called by the UCPN (Maoist) on Saturday, RSS reports from Nuwakot. Life in 23 VDCs of the region was affected and the public transport vehicles to and from the region have remained off the road. The UCPN (Maoist) called the strike demanding an immediate release of its cadre Bal Krishna Rai who is in police custody on the charge of beating Bhojendra Malla and Pratap Bhujel, and torching a motorcycle. The UCPN (Maoist) said that Rai, a member of the party´s Tamsaling State Conference Organizing Committee, was innocent but was arrested by the police for no reason on September 9. However, the UCPN (Maoist) has said that a general strike would be organized on Sunday if the case filed against Rai under the Public Offence Act was not revoked. nnnn ________________________________________ UML CHAIRMAN KHANAL SAYS ONLY CONSENSUS CAN END CRISIS AJURI (Dhading), Sept. 15: CPN (UML) chairman Jhalanath Khanal has said that the Constituent Assembly could be revived for a short period of time if agreement was reached on all topics of the constitution, RSS reports drom Ghajuri, Dhading.. He also pointed out that there was no alternative to going for a general election if the UCPN (Maoist) continued to play the spoilsport in efforts to reach consensus. Talking to journalists, Khanal said that although his party had been making efforts towards forging consensus with a focus on constitution, the UCPN (Maoist) was obstructing this process. The CPN (UML) chairman has arrived here in connection with inaugurating the party´s Dhading District Representatives Council Meeting. He stressed that only a government of national consensus could take the country forward. Khanal alleged that although the UCPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that consensus would be forged in a day or two, he himself has not turned up for meetings held with the purpose. "Consensus is possible and the country would get an outlet from the present political imbroglio if only the UCPN (Maoist) becomes a bit more flexible," the CPN (UML) chairman said. He said they were working hard to end the transition in the country and talks would be held with the Nepali Congress and the UCPN (Maoist) on this issue by tomorrow [Sunday]. nnnn ________________________________________