PRESIDENT FLYING TO DELHI FOR CONSULTATIONS TUESDAY Kathmandu, 25 Dec.: President Dr.. Ram Baram Yadav will fly to New Delhi later Tuesday for consultations with top Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, on the second day of a five-day India visit. He’ll fly there from Baneras where the president will be conferred an honourary doctorate of law degree by Baneras Hindu University on its 150th establishment day. nnnn PRACHANDA, PM CONSULTATIONS Kathmandu, 25 Dec.: Maoist Chairman Prachanda and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarau, who is also Maoist vice-chairman, held consultations Tuesday morning in party issues and a current crisis formed over differences between the two leaders on government formation. The meeting comes ahead of an alliance meet later Tuesday afternoon supporting the coalition government of Maoists and five Madeshsbadi parties. The alliance supports the premier as the Maoist chief pushes the candidacy of NC President Sushil Koirala to support Bhattarai. Nnnn AVAIN FLU DETECTED IN THE VALLEY Kathmandu, 25 Dec.: Avian flu has been detected at Ramkot in the outskirts of the capital. Culling operations have strated at one farm there and preventive measures are being enforced. Nnnn NC REGIONAL MEET EXTENDED Kathmandu, 25 Dec.: Nepali Congress regional presidents today [Monday] discussed issues pertaining to party organisation, strategy for general election and current political issues, The Himalayan Times reports.. According to Upendra Karki, member secretary of the organisation committee of the event, the three-day conclave has been extended by one day and the gathering will make public the Thali Declaration after synthesising the suggestions from regional presidents across the country. The gathering of 240 regional presidents had kicked off on Saturday in Thali, Danchhi of Kathmandu. During the session, participants discussed the party’s history, ideological concept, and party’s political, economic and social contribution during its stay in the government and the outside according to Damodar Bhusal, regional president of Gulmi. The gathering also discussed the challenges that the NC was facing at present, he added. He said Vice-president Ramchandra Paudel, Central Working Committee member Ram Sharan Mahat, former vice chairman of the National Planning Commission Jagadish Cha-ndra Pokharel and economist Chiranjibi Nepal presented four working papers on the NC’s past, present and future. Binod Bhattarai, Devaraj Chalise and Dharmendra Jha had trained the regional presidents about information dissemination on political issues. The gathering will conclude tomorrow with the party taking decisions on current political situation and parties internal issues, added Bhusal. Nnnn PARTIES GET EARFUL Kathmandu, 25 Dec.: Hours before he embarked on a six-day trip to India, President Ram Baran Yadav today invited all the political parties that made up the dissolved Constituent Assembly and told the leaders that the process to form a government through consensus was still under way and that it would continue until the parties reach a compromise to that effect, The Himalayan Times reports. “The process, which started on November 23, to form a new government on the basis of political consensus is still going on and parties should accomplish the task at the earliest,” said President Yadav as he read out a written speech before the leaders of the political parties at Shital Niwas this morning. Today’s meeting was a little different in a manner that the moment the leaders assembled, the President delivered his speech, not giving a chance to the leaders to put forth their views. “I believe that there will not be any hindrances to parties’ endeavour for consensus in my absence. I wish the parties will be successful to reach consensus before my return from India,” said President Yadav. The President emphasised on his speech that only a consensus government can hold fresh CA election and that the process to reach a deal to that effect was still on, said President’s Press Adviser Rajendra Dahal. The President suggested to the parties to focus on four points while seeking consensus. First, promulgating a new constitution by ensuring fresh CA election. Second, forming government under Article 38 (1). Third, seeking ways to make appointments in the constitutional bodies. And fourth, seeking any other democratic principles, precedents or ways which the President could employ to end the constitutional and political deadlock. Stating that the parties were very much aware of the fact that the fresh polls declared for November 22 could not materialise, the President said, “The parties are well informed that formation of a consensus government, fixing of date for the election and preparations for the same, addressing constitutional difficulties and making appointments in the constitutional bodies are the immediate requirements to ensure the election in April. The President also reminded the parties how the country was facing difficulties, with constitutional and judicial bodies running out of top level officials and economy being hit hard, since the demise of the CA. “The preamble, Articles 38 (1), 43 and 57 and other clauses of the Interim Constitution call for formation of the Council of Ministers, running of the government and addressing other complexities in the time of transition on the basis of politics of consensus and cooperation,” said the President, adding: “So I understand the country’s transitional government system will be run on the same basis.” nnnn