TWO CRUCIAL MEETINGS TO END A PROLONGED DEADLOCK Kathmandu, 5 Dec.: NC central committee meets Wednesday to nominate its candidate for a consensus candidate to lead a consensus government to conduct constituent assembly (CA) elections sometime in April.May. ‘In the absence of parliament, President Sushil Koirala is the likely chronic. He has sa majority in the party,” said senior member Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat. “Ram Chandra Paudel would have been the logical choice had the parliament been in session as head of the parliamentary party,” Dr., Mahat added. Maoists leading the government and opposition UML Tuesday asked the main opposition to name its candidate. ‘There’s fifty percent possibility Koirala will now head a consensus government. Signs are positive,” Dr.. Mahat, a former finance minister said. The Big Three continue their inconclusive meeting as well Wednesday to discuss leadership of a consensus prime minister and consensus government with just one day remaining for a second presidential deadline. The president also asked parties Tuesday to forge a consensus on issues to resolve a continued deadlock. “Well, signs are hopeful now. A prime minister could be found in another two or three days with a deadline extension,” RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana said. nnnn. ,: D. RPP STILL EFFORTING UNITY WITH RPP-NEPAL SAYS RANA - Kathmandu, 5 Dec.: RPP Chairman Pashupati Shumshere Rana said Wednesday efforts are ongoing to unite with RPP –Nepal led by Kamal Thapa amid differences on monarchy and a republic. They are parties of former panchas.. While RPP has accepted a republican set RPP_Nepal hasn’t. Rana said unity his party’s unity with Rashtriya Janasjakto Party of Surya Bahadur Thapa will sealed in Magh [January/February]. ‘Unification is complete is 58 districts,” Rana added. Nnnn CAPITAL’S MORNING TEMPERATURE 4 DEGREES CELSIUS Kathmandu, 5 Dec.: Wednesday morning’s temperature in the capital was 4 degrees Celsius. Mercury on a sunny day is expected to rise to 20 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. Nnnn ’ SHANKATA PLAYS BAUDHA IN FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP Kathmandu, 5 Dec.: Shankata plays Baudha in the Martyrs Memorial A Division League Championship at Dashrath Ranhashala Wednesday. Madhyapur meets Baaaansbari in another match. nnnn GOVT. AMNESTIES 207 MAOISTS Kathmandu, 5 Dec.; The government on Tuesday decided to scrap criminal cases filed against 207 cadres of the ruling UCPN (Maoist). A cabinet meeting held on Tuesday evening at Singha Durbar took the decision to this effect. According to a minister, 66 of the 207 Maoist cadres are from Gorkha, the home district of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Gani Ansari writes in Republica.. The government decided to withdraw cases against Sagar Gurung, Shiva Kumar Shrestha, Narayan Deurali, Bhakti Lamichhane, Purna Bahadur Bagale and Ram Chandra Shrestha, among others, from Gorkha. Similarly, the government has decided to scrap cases against 40 Maoist cadres, including Wajir Pakhrin, Prem Mani Bhattarai and Bhuwan Thami from Sindhupalchowk and 26 Maoist cadres, including Purna Shahi from Sankhuwasabha. Criminal cases against 25 Maoist cadres, including Ram Das Ulak and Shiva Prasad Dahal from Kavre will also be withdrawn. Likewise, eight Maoist cadres, including Hemlal Khadka, Bhim Bahadur Pun and Kamal Bahadur Bantha from Rukum, have also been freed of charges. The minister said cases against 21 cadres including Dev Narayan Yadav from Siraha and Kamal Devakota from Sindhuli have also been withdrawn. Meanwhile, the government has made key appointments at various government bodies. According to Minister for Information and Communications Raj Kishor Yadav, who is also government spokesperson, Chief Secretary Leela Mani Poudyal has been appointed as the chairman of Nepal Electricity Authority, Digambhar Jha as chairman of Nepal Telecom Authority, Ajit Man Tamang as the member secretary of Lumbini Development Fund, Kul Bahadur Rokaya as the chairman of Karnali Development Commission and Jagdishwar Bahadur Pal as the chairman of Western Development Commission. Nnnn PM,PRESIDENT BREACHED CODE OF CONDUCT CHARGES DPM SHRESTHA Kathmandu, 5 Dec : The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has expressed serious dissatisfaction at the “breach of diplomatic code of conduct” by the head of the state and the head of the government by holding a series of “clandestine” meetings with the Indian envoy to Nepal as well as other “suspicious” persons, Kosh Raj Koirala writes in Republica.. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha expressed dissatisfaction over the meetings between President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai with Indian envoy to Nepal Jayanta Prasad and other “suspicious” persons without prior knowledge of MoFA. Shrestha said Yadav and Bhattarai breached “diplomatic” code by holding such “clandestine” meetings. “As a foreign minister, I am not satisfied with the kind of activities our head of the state and the head of the government are indulged in. Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not satisfied,” he told Republica. Shrestha said both the president and prime minister had demonstrated “diplomatic indecency” by allowing some “suspicious” persons to mediate their meeting recently. “The president and the prime minister invited Amaresh Singh to their meetings. How can they sit together with him?” he asked. The remarks from a sitting minister comes in the wake of criticisms from various quarters that Indian envoy was lately playing an “unusually active” role in Nepali politics. Political observers in Nepal have linked senior Congress (I) leader Karan Singh´s recent visit to Nepal as a part of India´s overtures to exert “undue influence” on political actors in Nepal. "The activities of the president and the prime minister have made one wonder if Nepali leaders can a decision concerning their country on their own," he further said. MoFA officials said they have credible information about the president and the prime minister holding a series of “clandestine” meetings with Indian envoy to Nepal Jayanta Prasad over the past few weeks. "Indian envoy held meetings with the prime minister and the president on the day the budget was unveiled. He continued holding meetings with them even before and after the budget was unveiled," Shrestha claimed. Shrestha said he will now submit a protest letter to the president. "I have twice reminded the president but he did not pay heed. I will now formally ask him to avoid such meetings," he further said. nnnn