CLEAR DIFFERENCES EMERGE IN UML Kathmandu, 23 Feb.: Indicating clear differences in the opposition UML over support for an election government headed by Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi to conduct constituent assembly (CA) 5 June, Chairman Jhalanath Khanal Friday supported a Regmi government. “The first need of the hour is to give a solution by holding election soon. "Therefore, we decided to bring the country into right political course by holding an election," Khanal said while launching a meeting of the party Youth Association in Butwal. The closed session of the Association begins Saturday. Former Prime Minister and top leader Madhav Kumar Nepal leads a group in the party opposed to a Regmi government. Khanal this week cancelled an emergency sanding committee called by the Nepal group to discuss the differences. nnnn NATIONAL CRICKET TEAM FOR COMING TOURNAMENTS ANNOUNCED Kathmandu, 23 Feb. : The Nepali national cricket team leaves Delhi Saturday to prepare for major matches and return home 10 March. The team will play four 50-over matches and six T20 matches against local teams and academies while preparing for ACC T20 Elite Cup and the ICC World Cricket League Division 3. Coach Pubudu Dassanayake, technical assistant Raman Shiwakoti and manager Basanta Raj Satyal are joining the team to prepare for the , ACC T20 Elite Cup and the ICC World Cricket League Division 3. Injured Captain Binod Das is not in a 18-member team announced by Cricket Asociation Friday for the upcoming ACC T20 Elite Cup and the ICC World Cricket League Division 3. Nnnn HIMANI VISITS PARAS IN BANGKOK HOSPITAL Kathmandu, 23 Feb.: Former crown prince Paras Shah´s condition did not improve on Friday either - four days after he was admitted to a Bangkok hospital following a major heart attack, Rupak D. Sharma writes in Republca from Bangkok, As Shah´s condition continued to be critical, his wife former crown princess Himani Shah who arrived in Bangkok in the evening visited him at the ICU of Samitivej Hospital at Sukumvit - Soi 49. He is unconscious but stable. “The condition has not become worse and neither has it improved drastically,” said a family source. The hospital has not made any official comment on Shah´s condition so far. For privacy reasons, the hospital has erased Shah´s name from the list of patients admitted there. “No one by the name of Paras Shah is admitted here,” a public relations officer at the hospital said after conducting a search of patients at Republica´s request. According to a source, doctors had kept Paras´ body temperature at a lower level and are gradually raising it so as to prevent internal hemmorrhage and organ failure. Dr Rajeev Shahi, a relative who flew into Bangkok on Wednesday, declined to comment on Shah´s condition. “We are currently going through a rough phase. I would be grateful if you could understand our problem and give us some space,” he said. “We will disseminate information on him at the right moment and upon getting consent from the hospital.” He, however, said rumors that Shah was dead - which made the rounds on social network sites on Friday - were baseless. Shah suffered a major cardiac arrest Tuesday night-- the second since September 2007 -- at the apartment of Sunil Khadka, a Nepali businessman, at Rama 9 in Bangkok, where he has been staying for the last two months. “Doctors said his (Shah´s) heart had stopped beating for around 50 minutes when he was brought to the hospital,” according to a source. “However, CT scans (conducted twice since Wednesday) show that his brain is fine and there is no trace of blood clots there.” The source also said that doctors are now trying to start Shah´s various body functions one by one so as reduce pressure on the heart and brain. Khadka had earlier told Republica that Shah had changed his lifestyle drastically of lately. “He used to stay in the apartment most of the time and had quit alcohol some time back,” he said. “But he did not go for health checkups regularly.” Khadka also said Shah was keeping a low profile ever since he was arrested on charges of possessing marijuana in Phuket and the lodging of a police complaint after the smashing up of a rented Bangkok apartment. Nnnn NBA OPPOSES CJ-LED GOVT. Kathmandu, 23 Feb.: While reiterating that the legal fraternity cannot accept a chief justice-led government, Nepal Bar Association (NBA) on Friday warned of staging protest across the country if the major parties went ahead with their proposal of forming a CJ-led interim government to hold fresh polls, Republicaa writes. NBA, which is an umbrella organization of lawyers across the country, repeated its stance against CJ-led government during a consultation Friday with Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and senior leaders of UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front. The prime minister as well as other party leaders had sought cooperation from NBA to form a CJ-led poll government "for resolving the protracted political deadlock in the country". "We clearly told the prime minister and the party leaders that NBA cannot accept any proposal to form new government under the sitting chief justice. Such a move goes against the spirit of constitutionalism and the principle of separation of powers," said NBA General Secretary Sunil Pokharel. During the meeting held at the Prime Minister´s Office in Singha Durbar, NBA officials had read out the press statement they had issued earlier this week shortly after the four major political forces made an understanding to form CJ-led government to hold fresh Constituent Assembly (CA) polls by mid-June. The statement had strongly criticized the parties´ understanding. NBA officials had argued that their stance against a CJ-led government was in the best interest of political parties as this aims to promote party politics. "It can never be a good idea to form a government under the chief justice, sidelining the political parties. How would you go to the people for votes if you fail to form government of political party leaders?" a leader present at the meeting quoted NBA officials questioning to them. Party leaders had argued that CJ-led poll government would be the best option to resolve the current political deadlock as the parties failed to forge consensus on any political leader. "The chief justice has said that he cannot lead poll government without support from the NBA. We expect your support in forming new government under CJ," Pokharel quoted UDMF Coordinator Bijaya Gachchhadar as telling to them. While asking the party leaders to form government led under a political leader or an independent person or a former chief justice, the NBA officials also warned of launching fresh protests across the country if the parties did not heed their suggestions. "Formation of a new government under a sitting chief justice will hurt our basic values. We will hold consultation with all our 86 units across the country and launch fresh stir if our suggestion is not heeded," Pokharel further said. Hearing on CJ-led govt deferred for Sunday A hearing on the writ filed at the Supreme Court challenging the four major parties´ preparation to form an election government led by sitting chief justice has been postponed till Sunday. Hemanta Rawal, deputy spokesman at the apex court, said the hearing could not be conducted due to lack of time as there were several other cases ahead of it on the list for Friday. Justice Kalyan Shrestha was to hear the case. Advocate Bharat Mani Jangam had filed the writ petition Sunday seeking an interim order against the preparation of the four major political forces -- UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front. The petitioner has argued that the move would encroach on the independence of judiciary. He has also sought an apex court order for the formation of a government within a month to conduct fresh election to the Constituent Assembly (CA) and parliament. Nnnn